


Reflections

by Xigbar



Category: American McGee's Alice
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2018-11-10 07:23:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 44,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11122530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xigbar/pseuds/Xigbar
Summary: Alice having saved Wonderland is freed from the Asylum and things are going well for the first time in a long time. Until she gets a visit from her Aunt Anna, a woman she hasn't seen since she was a baby. Anna informers her that the Asylum has placed Alice in her care, and she will behave and act like a young lady should. That means no more daydreaming about rabbits or trips through the looking glass. A few years pass and living on Aunt Anna's estate out in the country has not been easy for her. Anna's house is as cold and beautiful as any museum and just as welcoming. A stark place of white columns, hard marble floors, and untouchable antiques.Meanwhile, Wonderland has begun to die as something evil drains its very life away and as such, it is affecting Alice even in the waking world.It’s only when a friend from the past finds her, do sparks of life start to return to her pale eyes and the battle for her sanity begins anew.For if Alice forgets herself..then Wonderland is doomed.





	1. Through the Looking Glass.

**Author's Note:**

> A fic That takes place after the events in American McGee's "Alice" but before and in place of "Madness Returns."

The room was dark, cold and very unlively. Just like the classical English style, thought the young woman. Her hairbrush was in her hand, but no intentions of making herself look pretty came to her. What was the point in being a polite British Lady, when Alice was far from being so? Glaring at the brush with cold eyes, she felt a shiver on the back of her neck. Maybe she needed to close the window? Or at least she would if it was open, the icy cold starkness of her room was always present. The door to her room slowly opened as a dark gray cat pushed his head inside a few inches. The same cat she saw when she first arrived. A strange animal that had the run of the house and always seemed to vanish around corners. Only to show up again in another part of the house. The thin feline strode in like all cats do, and jumped up on her dresser. Its hind legs moved towards the front two as it took a seat, its tail wrapping around its paws as it stared at her with slitted yellow eyes.

The dark haired girl stood up with an emotionless move and turned to walk to the window, completely ignoring the cat. But she knew it was there. And those eyes... always glaring at her... Was it trying to tell her something or was it just her twisted imagination? She was no longer in the asylum and she had no interest in returning there as she stared out into the garden. Even the wide open garden outside looked pale and drab to her. She turned back and met her eyes with the Cats.

The cat stared back at her as the end of its tail lashed slightly. Its unwavering eyes were like that of porcelain dolls. It's fur a downy gray making its body outline soft like smoke drifting in a summer breeze. It was as if she were looking at an unfocused photograph of a cat, while the background remained crystal clear. But as it stared at her its mouth seemed to almost grin, and the grin grew wider and wider till it spread across its face in some strange caricature. Something about this cat was familiar. Alice had a fondness for the feline kind, especially after all that had happened in Wonderland. But this was becoming a little too familiar for her tastes. Her eyes remained open without any blinking, irises cold, locked on the cat's mouth. Was she dreaming again?

"You are not dreaming, Alice." The cat tilted its head as it spoke, answering the question that ran through her mind. Its voice was odd and didn’t seem to match its body. Not that any voice does match a cat's body. If it was any other girl in the United Kingdom or just the rest of the world, she would question herself and laugh at the silliness of the situation. But... she wasn't an ordinary girl. Her blank facial expression didn't even change a bit, her sound came out cold. 

"I don't see dreams anymore." The cat just smiled as it vanished slowly in a puff of dark smoke. Only to reappear behind her as it sat on the window sill.

"Perhaps it is the dream that has not seen you." It said as its body slowly changed. Its very form grew taller and thinner and more emaciated with every passing second. Its soft brown fur fell off and vanished before hitting the floor. Its skin grew tight around its legs and ribcage and sounded like dry leather as it stretched. Black markings appeared on its dry skin in swirls and lines and dots. And the face of someone she hasn’t seen in years emerged. Her eyes didn't follow the cat, so now it was right behind her. Fully recognizing the identity of her old friend, she didn't show any visible reaction. Just turning her head a bit to eye the cat's real face, her lips couldn't help but smile up a bit. It was a slow small smile that only a few would know that expression. It was a smile without any real happiness. 

"Was it you from the beginning?"

The Cat nodded. "It was. I have been watching you."

The young woman crossed her arms slowly and watched the cat changing. To be honest it was a better look than the classical cats. "And I've been watching you as well. Knew you were something special." It was difficult to find the unordinary on her aunt's estate. Everything was so same... so boring... for her mental state.

"Then you are as perceptive as ever. Though you do not see the forest through the trees. Have you forgotten us so easily?" The cats grin never faded. Cold eyes flickered with the weak sunshine coming from the cloudy England skies. Even the sun was almost dead. Then she remembered how she missed Wonderland. Now her parents were no longer here, she didn't have many reasons to stay in this world. Her only friends weren't even here. But well... no one was here. 

"I didn't forget anything. Who could forget that weird grin anyways? I'm just stuck here as you see."

The cat swished its tail. "Iron bars do not a prison make. Nor do white columns and marble floors. There is a way out..." He says in a purring voice. "Or a way in ..depends on your perspective." Green eyes looked around the room to find any clue, but there wasn't anything. The great wooden clock beside the door, her old gray rag plush on her bed, the window with frilly curtains, the mirror she didn't quite use and the brush on the ground... where she dropped it. Digging her nails into the smooth skirt of her blue dress -it was her aunt's choice again-, she looked from the clock to the mirror. 

"And you're here to help me?"

The cat's grin widened "My dear girl. We were always there to help you. Now is no different." He said and vanished from the sill only to reappear by her legs as he ran his bony body along her ankles and sat next to her on the other side. Feeling not as irritated about those disappearings of his as she used to years ago, Alice was intrigued. Could she go back? With quick steps she passed by the hairbrush on the floor and stopped in front of the great clock, knocking on it twice. Only the sound of the wood... and nothing else... Then she kneeled down slowly to pick up the brush, turned back to put it on the shelf, right next to the mirror. Her eyes caught her own eyes from the looking glass. Her make-up of aunt's choice was ruined once again. Black eyeliner was all melted away and ran down to her cheeks, her skin so pale. 

"Then help me in." She whispered coldly, not at all like the cheerful girl she used to be.

Just then her reflection in the mirror wavered like ripples in a smooth pond. Her world slowly dissolved as she stood now in a garden with bright red rose bushes and green checkered grass. A sign above her pointed in a direction towards a wooded area marked 'Tulgy Woods'. Alice watched the mirror change before her as grass now tickled her feet above her shoes and she felt a warm wind blow across her face. She had felt something. Had she finally felt something after all this time? Her dress had changed as it did before as did her face. Now her skin even paler than usual, her hair darker, her nails were blackish red like the thickness of the blood, but her dress was clean... Maybe it was a bit too clean. She didn't like it. But she followed the path into the woods. The cat’s voice rang down to her from a tree above. 

"Wonderland like you has changed, though sometimes not for the best. But it is better now than it was. But have a care. As you wither, so do we.." He said and slowly vanished leaving behind his grin that followed him a few moments later. Alice glanced up at the tree he was sitting on. It suddenly began to die right in front of her, its pale leaves fluttered to the ground and turning into dust. The branches curled and cracked as its bark turned white as bone. 

His words rang in her head but vanished the moment the cat did. Her mind wasn't blank but it wasn't full of emotion or curious thoughts either. It was just...there. Maybe the coldness of Aunt Anna's estate affected her a lot more than it should have. Feeling the warm breeze on her skin, she closed her eyes for a while and continued walking blindly. She knew this place... And this place knew her, as the cat always said.


	2. The Girl and the Hatter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice meets up with an old friend..or is he?

As she walked a clearing came into view, and in the middle of it stood a long table with many place settings. Checkered and striped teapots and teacups sat at each place along with the usual compliment of spoons, forks and butter knives. Though way more teapots than needed it seemed. Chinese lanterns hung above the table, strung on the trees as if a party was just about to begin. But the table was covered with dust and cobwebs and dead leaves. A party that had been lost to time and long been forgotten by its own guests.

Funny, one of her friends always talked about the time... all the time. But this place seems to have lost the battle with it. Walking around the long table once, she took a seat at the head as a puff of dust jetted out from the cushion. It was funny again, all those seats used to be taken before. It was so quiet... so dead. Poking one of the fancy cups on the table, Alice fixed her cold green eyes on the emptiness of the frozen moment.

A slight sound wafted in the air, like someone breathing. Usually, it would be the Dormouse asleep in a teacup or sugar bowl. But this time the sound came from someone at the far end, sitting in a huge leather chair with his feet up on the table. A long checked top hat sat on his head over his eyes as the man snoozed, his gloved hands entwined over his chest. His form coated in a fine layer of dust as cobwebs laced across his feet to the table.

The young woman poked the cup again and then glared at the way the man appeared. Was he there from the beginning or did he just appear from nowhere? Now they were sitting on the opposite sides of the long table. Alice was eyeing the man from the distance with her usual calm cold demeanor. She remained silent, listening to the man's breathing.

The Cat reappeared next to her sitting on the table as it turned towards him. It shook its head and padded carefully over each teacup and not upsetting a one until it reached the far end. The grinning feline sat down at the man’s feet and stared at him like his very presence should be enough to wake anyone. When he found it wasn’t working the Cat let out a sigh of a purr and nudged his shoe with a paw. 

The figure under the large hat mumbled as an eye opened just barely looking at the cat.."...Away mangy feline...I’m out of tea.." The Mad Hatter muttered in a tired voice before falling back asleep. Alice wasn't in a mood to give any visible reactions. But wait? Was the Hatter really ignoring her? 

"It's a pity I didn't bring my blade." Her words came out coldly. Was it a joke... or not? The world would never learn that secret. "So your endless tea-party is finally over?" She wasn't even blinking as the man’s breathing stopped abruptly. 

A hand came up to the brim of the large hat as he pushed it back a little with his thumb. A set of yellow eyes surrounded in black opened and stared at her. The man was dressed in black pants and a black vest with a torn white dress shirt sticking out along the edges. A huge obnoxious purple bow tie was around his neck. His shoes were leather though they had lost their shine long ago and white spats covered the edges. The hat was black and white checkered and had strange runes stitched into every other square of the fabric. It had a slight crease about half way up making the end lean forward ever so slightly. His face had a sickening green tint to it and he still had that large pointed nose, but something seemed different about him. "...Alice?" His spatted feet slipped off the table landing in front of him. His expression, a mixture of shock and recognition. "So...You did come back...?" The madman said as Alice poked the empty teacup once more and fixed her huge green eyes on the pale yellow ones across the way. Her make-up was so messed up that looked like she was crying black tears as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I was never able to take a sip from your tea after all." She almost whispered. "This doesn't change anything." Her hands were slowly placed on the table. "Did you finally lose to time?" She said as the Hatter couldn’t help but smile as he sat back in his chair.

"It would seem so." He leaned forward picking up a teapot as the cobwebs broke and waved in the breeze. The large metal rusted gear still embedded in his back clanked forward a few times. It made a sharp ticking sound like an overgrown pocket watch. "You did save Wonderland. But then you left us again." The teapot in his hand slowly cracked and crumbled into brittle shards onto the table the moment he held it over his cup. The color was faded as if the object was decades old, the broken ceramic looked weathered and porous. But his teapots and cups were always new and shiny, so why were these looking so poorly? The Hatter just sighed and retracted his hand as he looked back at the girl on the far end as she spoke.

"It’s not like I had too many choices." She said pushing away the teacup. The dark haired woman leaned forward and reached for a dessert knife. There was nothing fresh on the table so there was no need for cutlery anyway. "I'd like to stay." She spoke silently. "But I need to go back." Her aunt would be returning home soon and she was due for another lesson in manors and posture. She was forced to spend hours doing these so called etiquette lessons. Not that she learned anything from them. One should read books not use them to keep one's spine straight as they walked. "Aren't you thinking about offering me some tea?" Her voice came a bit rude, but her coldness masked it.

The Hatter smiled. He was far different from the short funny looking man she knew as a child. And very much different than the sadistic clockwork monster she fought to his apparent death. More like a mixture of the two. He was indeed revived, but still had the gears and greenish complexion. Perhaps some traces of her subconscious still had an impact on him. But it was his face that had changed the most. He looked younger now, though his true numeric age was unknown to her. It was as if he were aging in reverse since last they met. Dark blond hair covered his eyes as he grinned a set of buck teeth at her. "I would, but I haven’t any. You see, my poor tea party hasn’t had any guests in a while..." 

The twisted woman remembered the time she killed the Hatter once. The blood on her hands, the copper taste on her tongue. His head had exploded off of his shoulders in a shower of sparks. It was like she was living that scene over again. Strange, she didn't shiver or anything at the memory. Maybe because she was emotionally numb after all that had happened. She indeed noticed the change in the man's look. Wasn't he shorter before? Wasn't he older? ...Wasn't he less-good looking? "You were quite impolite before. You still are, it seems." She muttered silently, scratching the table with the not-so-sharp-knife. "If it's really over, then why are you still here?"

The Hatter smirked again as he began to pull himself up. His gears made a grinding sound as he stood to his full height. He really should oil that thing. The Hatter was taller than her and very thin. "And you’re still as rude as ever.” He replied. “Always sitting down without being invited. But if you must know my dear. I was waiting. For you..." 

Words never surprised the gothic woman, but this time she gave away a sign of curiosity. It sounded like a joke. Raising both her eyebrows slightly Alice huffed and crossed her arms, the knife laying on the edge of the table. "Oh really?" There was a cold tone in her voice. "Is there a certain reason for that?" Was the Hatter after something? The cat who had been listening let out a purr almost as if he was laughing. 

"He has been waiting here ever since you left. Always watching, always waiting, always-hmpp!" A gloved hand closed over the cats grinning mouth. 

"I can speak for myself. You toothy dust collector." The Hatter looked back at her and folded his arms. "I don’t care much for reason. It goes against the grain...but perhaps...I may have missed.." His voice trailed off as if he was trying to say something that was hard to admit as he softly cleared his throat.

"...Your big mouth.." He said and laughed in a mad giggle.

Alice's expression didn't change, but his laugh was so sudden that she hardly noticed that the dessert knife as it suddenly flew out of her hands. The small blade glistened and mirrored the dappled sunshine coming through the trees, looking like an ice-jewel. Its journey ended when the Mad Hatter's big over-sized hat had been stabbed, pinning it to the back of his chair like a bug in a glass display case. "What are good friends for after all?" The left side of her lips quirked up in a twisted smile. Alice was still very impulsive, no matter how hard her aunt worked. 

The Hatter blinked placing a hand on his head and then glanced behind him, seeing his precious hat stuck to the chair. One eye narrowed as he got a wicked grin looking back at her. "Ah, I see you’ve been missing me." He chuckled at his own weak pun. "Tell Me, Alice? Why after all you’ve done is Wonderland shriveling like overdone toast?" He said placing one hand on the table and leaned towards Alice. "Things not going well back home?"

Alice sighed and also leaned forward placing her elbows on the table, and slid both hands under her chin. Fixing her huge green eyes at Hatter's face Alice just stared back at him. He really had changed a lot. "That place isn't my home." She sighed. "I'm always alone... Always feeling the cold." Her tone came out a bit sad. "A cemetery is livelier. My aunt is the only living thing there and she's trying to make me behave. Make me just like..her." 

The Hatter tilted his head. He knew things were bad when she stopped coming back. But this? It was almost as if she were back in the asylum where even Wonderland couldn’t find her. If she keeps this up he may never have tea again. And he would rather die first then let that happen. He just stood and stared at her as his gloved hand tapped the side of his leg. "..Always alone..." Hatter repeated under his breath for some reason. He was either agreeing with her or disagreeing or both, one can never tell with him. The cat’s ears perked up suddenly as he looked at Alice who was just staring up at Hatter's eyes, maybe she expected something from him... maybe not.

"Always..." She also repeated. 

"I’m sorry to interrupt this riveting conversation. But I do believe the lady of the house is coming.." The Cheshire Cat said as he grinned even wider. "It would be a strange sight indeed if she found your bedroom vacant.." 

With the cat's words, Alice stood up and climbed up onto the table. Walking towards the Hatter who was now eye level with her, she kicked the empty teacups out of her way before stopping right in front of him. "Time to go." She whispered and stepped up to him, climbing up his form like a tall thin ladder, then landing on the soft green grass behind him. She then started to run to the exit at a good speed leaving the tea party behind. The cat gave the Hatter a glance before jumping off the table himself and padding after her as she ran towards the portal mirror. A gust of wind blew up pulling the dry leaves off the trees as they followed her exit. The Hatter stared into space for a moment. When she left his eyes shifted to one side and a smile spread across his face.

"Indeed..."


	3. Red and White.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice's Aunt is making life a stifling prison and she's quickly losing all hope. 
> 
> But Alice may find that hope sometimes comes in the strangest of packages.

Without even saying a goodbye, Alice quickly disappeared back into the mirror. Now she was standing in her cold room once more. Hearing her aunt's footsteps followed by a gentle knock on the door she sighed as her Aunt Anna stepped in. 

She was a rather tall, rather corpulent woman with the figure of a pear. Dressed in extravagant English lady attire she wore a gray embroidered dress with white lace trim along the bottom. Her high collar was pinned all the way up just under her chin, and she wore a priceless ivory cameo broach to finish her outfit. Bright colors were defiantly not this woman’s style. Graying light brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun sitting on the top of her head like a mushroom cap. Her Aunt was rather the spinster type and lived off the wealth she had inherited from her own family now long gone. She lived alone and mostly kept to herself, though she did hold high tea for some of her aristocratic friends every so often. She was prim and proper and the very essence of what she thought a lady should be. 

When she had learned about her estranged sister’s death and about Alice, she went to visit her before she was released from Rutledge Asylum. And when she was informed that Alice was well enough to leave, she took it upon herself to take in the distraught girl. Neither blaming her nor not blaming her for the fire, she merely said it was one of those things that just ..happens. But after learning from her therapist that Alice still believed in such nonsense like talking mice, and walking playing cards. Anna was more determined than ever to “aid” her niece's ailing mind. After all what kind of proper young lady goes chasing strange rodents into dark holes?

A sharp gasp broke the air as the older woman's facial expression was showing her true horror and disdain as she looked Alice over. Her pretty dress was now covered in dust like she had just crawled out of the attic. And her beautiful face was a fright. 

"What is this mess?!" She walked to Alice with her kerchief out, the one very she kept in her sleeve at all times and started to clean under her eyes rather roughly. "What were you thinking, Alice? Your dress is dirty as well!” Aunt Anna was making her usual speeches once more. But Alice was showing no signs of any emotion. She just stood there, not even pushing her aunt away. Exasperated Anna tossed her arms up at the girl's silence to her questions. Was she even awake? "Why don't you say something!?" Anna shouted and stomped her foot pointing to the door. "Go to the bathroom now and get cleaned!" 

Alice just gave a sigh and walked to her personal bathroom and locked the door behind. The small gray cat watched the scene from her bed as its tail swished. It seemed to shake its head at the entire situation. Its eyes followed her as she left the room. Her Aunt gave a flustered wave of her arms and plodded out of her room and down the stairs once more. A don’t-know-what-to-do-with-her was muttered under her breath as she left. 

The bathroom was just like the rest of the house, white and sterile. Aunt Anna didn’t even allow any flowers in the house for she said they just end up dying and leaving behind a mess. A smaller round mirror above the bathroom sink was framed in an ivory ornate frame. As beautiful and cold as the rest of the bathroom as the faucet dripped with an annoying echo into the thick porcelain sink.

For a few seconds Alice waited there like that, leaning her back to the door. She never understood what Aunt Anna wanted. Why should she change? Why should she become a lady like her? Alice was certainly not one. Walking to the sink, she started to run the hot water and darted her fingers into the stream to check its warmth. Even that was cold. The house was so old and big it took forever for the water to get anywhere above freezing, so the occupants just learned to live with it. Splashing the water to her cheeks, she watched the black eyeliner run down her face and drip into the sink making it look like a chessboard.

"..Humph...All that gunk on your face makes you look much older." A voice said as the mirror in front of her ripped like liquid mercury. A gloved hand pressed against its surface on the wrong side, and slowly made its way out reaching towards the sink. Her eyes opened wide as the green face of the Hatter appeared in the mirror. Seeing this face this close... It was weird... even for Alice. She moved away from the sink to let him in, reaching for a nearby towel to dry her face. 

"I'm older than you used to know." The young woman spoke silently. "And you're younger than I used to know." Everything changed and they were the proof. 

The first thing to exit completely was his hat that took up most of the area above the mirror. The Hatter then managed to pull his torso in but the gear on his back stopped him from coming through completely. 

"Oh, bugger...I’m going to need a bigger mirror.." He sighed and resorted to folding his arms in front of him as he grinned at her. The mirror's surface just rippled around his body like a puddle in the rain. "And I have you to thank for the new look. I must admit, it’s better than the one I had previously." He looked her up and down for a moment. "You have indeed grown older. You are not the child that came to my tea party so long ago. Nor are you the same girl who was riddled with guilt and self-loathing. You are..." He paused as his mouth grinned on one side. "...Different...But why all the gloom pray tell?" The young woman walked to the bathtub, opening the hot water and staying right beside it, watching the water filling it slowly. 

"Tell me, Hatter." She started emotionlessly. "Do I need to change more than this?" 

The Hatter watched her fill the tub and swallowed a bit as his bow tie bobbed on his throat. Wondering if she planned on taking a bath with him stuck halfway in the mirror. His dull yellow eyes glanced up at her as he chuckled. "Change is always good, so long as it’s not for the worse. Though I find changing for any reason rather thrilling." He said speaking in his usual cryptic manner. 

The young woman placed her elbows on the side of the tub, running a hand through the water, testing the coldness. Even bathing in ice-cubes would be better than this as she poured a small amount of bubble bath into the arctic water. "I don't feel better, I don't feel worse either." Her fingertips were playing with the water in a slow motion. Her eyes were fixed on the bubbles and she looked as if she were a thousand miles away. "I don't belong here, I don't seem to belong in Wonderland either." She turned her face slightly to glare at Hatter. He looked quite uncomfortable in that position.

The Hatters dark rimmed eyes seemed to soften as he watched her. They always had a strange connection to one another, and he felt closer to her than any of the other denizens of Wonderland. And for once he actually sounded sincere. "..There is a place where you belong.." His voice had an uncharacteristic tone of sanity to it that even unnerved the Hatter himself. He suddenly cleared this throat. "But don’t expect me to draw you a picture. I’m a terrible artist..." He huffed and peeked an eye open at her. "...You’re uh, not going to take a bath now? Are you?" He said as Alice gave him a cold smirk. He was indeed insane, but she didn't care even a bit. This was the way he was and she liked him this way. Then she started to unzip her dress slowly. 

"I need to clean up, so sure I will take a bath." She wasn't just playing with the water. She quickly reached for the towel and threw it to Hatter's head to block his vision. "Aunt Anna's orders after all..." She was deciding when Alice should even take a bath now.

The Hatters yellow eyes widened as she unzipped, only to have the wonderful view obscured by darkness as a towel covered his face! He jerked upward with a start hitting his head on the mirror frame hard as he winced. “…Ow..Bloody..!!" He sneered rubbed the back of his head. Before the Hatter got rid of the towel on his face, Alice was already in the tub and only her head was now visible in the bubbly water. Not seeming to care about Hatter's existence in her bathroom.

After finally removing the towel that seemed to cling to his face like a enamored octopus, the Hatter gazed down at her and a blush moved across his nose making his cheeks an even darker green. He may be mad but underneath all of those gears, half organized thoughts and mismatched notions he was still a gentleman..sort of. "Heh...It seems you have changed even more than you let on." He chuckled covering his eyes with a gloved hand..only to peek out through his fingers. 

The water was indeed cold, but not colder than her heart. Alice pillowed her arms under her chin on the side of the bathtub and looked up at Hatter. She didn't even wince when he gave her a toothy smile attached with that weird unusual blush. "I'm at an age to act like a lady... says my auntie." She sighed and wondered what was passing in Hatter's mind. Funny, she wasn't ashamed. "I don't want to be a lady. I only want to have my freedom back." This place was a prison. Her green eyes were looking directly to that eye peeking from his gloved hand. "Why are you blushing?" She asked randomly.

"If you don’t want to be, then don’t." The Hatters' nose wrinkled a little. He’d rather have his hat taken away then be told what to do. "You can’t be something you are not. Tea can’t be forced to turn into jam you know..." He said still holding his hand over his eyes. He paused for a moment as his buckteeth bit his lower lip. "I’m not blushing!" He huffed turning his nose up. ”It’s the humidity in here is all. It's making my gears rust.."

The girl just shrugged and shook her head. Some silent words were whispered, but Hatter couldn’t hear them. Then the young woman leaned back to relax if it was possible in this coldness. Suddenly she disappeared in the tub, fully under the water, until she was out of oxygen. But when she sat up, the water's color was no longer the same: It was crimson... And there weren’t any bubbles anymore. It was just red... blood red... With wide open eyes, she just stared at the tub she was in. She held up her arms that were coated in a dark sticky substance. Was... this... real blood? The room around her grew dark as the walls and floors were now checkered like that of a chessboard. The Hatter was gone from the mirror and the sink was twisted and distorted into some vague grotesque semblance of its former self. The red squares on the walls seem to ripple as the red dripped onto the white in long lines of blood. A shadow fell over her from some unseen person as a sharp ax blade glinted in the darkness and suddenly sliced the air right towards her!

"Off with her head!!...Alice?...Alice?..Anyone at home?" The screeching voice of the Queen changed pitch into the Hatter's voice as he snapped his fingers to get her attention. The lights were still on and the room was still a stark white as the strange green hat maker stared at her. "I didn’t think I was so boring that you’d nod off in a daydream...?" He asked as he stared at her with a twinge of concern. She looked as if she just woke up from a nightmare. 

Her heart was beating so madly that it could just break away from her rib cage. Then she winced, taking a deep breath in. Her eyes snapped open as she glanced around to remember where she was. Then the not-really-familiar sight of Hatter took her attention. "I..." She started, then rubbing her forehead. "Whatever..." The water was clean and bubbly, it wasn't blood. "Sorry." She whispered and shook her head again. "Would you give me back my towel?" This bath was over.


	4. Tea and Tears.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cat may wish he took a desk job.

The Hatter stared at her for a long moment. Something was indeed wrong inside of Alice's already troubled mind. "Hmm? I’m sorry what?" He was snapped out of his thoughts as he glanced down at the towel that had been in his hand all along. He gave her a rather goofy grin and tossed her the fluffy white object. "Oh. Pardon me.." 

Reaching for thrown towel, Alice glared up at the Hatter with cold green eyes. He was no gentleman, just poking his head out of her bathroom mirror and watching her bathing. Standing up slowly, she stepped out of the tub, covering herself with the fine cotton fabric of the towel. She remained silent during the process as the Hatter kept his hand over his eyes..somewhat. He didn’t really see much except her bare ankles, but it was enough to trigger the rusted gears in his mind to clank forward. As he waited for her to dress a savory scent crept under the door and tickled his rather predominant nose. He froze in place as if she had hit him with a croquet mallet. 

"...Oh...What is that heavenly smell?" He took in a deep breath of the tea her Aunt was preparing downstairs. Alice unlocked the door and stepped into her room. 

"It's dinner time." It wasn't really all that heavenly. Her Aunt Anna wasn’t the best cook but she made sure Alice was at the table by the exact stroke of six no matter what. It seemed she was always telling her what to do every movement of every day. Don't put your elbows on the table! That is the wrong fork for that meal! Don't! Don't! Don't! How could she eat while she was being warned all the time? "I'd ask you to join, but I won't." She sighed as she left him still halfway in and out of the mirror as the Hatter leaned over a little with a dreamy look in his eyes. 

"..Dinner. There is tea at dinner. Tea...I haven’t had tea in soooo long..." He placed his hands on the sink and pushed himself up. "No need to invite me." He smiled at her. "I’ll help myself!" He chuckled madly tilting his hat towards her and pulled himself back through the mirror! Its surface ripped violently for a moment before freezing back into place as solid glass as if he had never been there.

The small gray cat, on the other hand, had its ear pressed to the door of the bathroom eavesdropping. The Hatter... He knew there would be a problem with him. The Cat stood up and vanished only to reappear next to her bed as he jumped up on it and settled down on her pillow when the door opened. The young woman walked to her closet and picked out a dapper black dress made with silk faille, silk velvet, and lace with a very large bow in the back and puffy white sleeves. It was very pretty and very heavy and it felt like she was wearing six dresses. Aunt Anna chose all of her outfits. Alice wasn't allowed to go shopping for herself. It was her aunt who bought her dresses and everything. Alice was really a prisoner here. She wasn't even allowed to walk in the garden freely. Looking at herself in the mirror, Alice frowned and with a quick motion ripped the sleeves right off. This suited her style better. Now it was time to do her make-up. Alice put on some very dark red lipstick and drew black eyeliner running down her cheeks. Anna would never like this. Her hair was still wet. So she went to the mirror and started to brush her hair very slowly. 

The Cheshire Cat kept his eyes on Alice as she exited the bathroom. She would always look so distant after an episode with her Aunt. So cold and unfeeling. It seemed to get worse each time. As if her Aunt took a part of her away with every harsh word or new rule. That’s why the Cat was there, to begin with. Wonderland had sent him to keep an eye on her and keep her safe. Not all there himself, however, the Cat was still the best candidate for the job, since a certain white rabbit in a coat and tie would have been a little too conspicuous. It hadn’t been easy keeping his presence a secret, and he was never really supposed to divulge himself to her. But time and his options were running out. The feline worried that if she thought Wonderland had abandoned her, then she might do the same. If that ever happens it would mean disaster for everyone. She was in a such a delicate state of mind and now the Hatter’s appearance in this world was only making things more complicated. 

It was six o'clock, which meant dinnertime. Aunt Anna's rules were certain, and it was important not to be late or Anna would be furious. In the back of her mind, there was always that looming chance that she would go back to the asylum if she didn’t keep her aunt happy. Alice didn't want that. She couldn’t go back. The room in the asylum was so small. This estate was bigger. It was easier to move. At least she had some space to walk around. Wearing her boots that never matched her dress, she stepped out of the room and went downstairs to meet her aunt at the dinner table. The Cat watched her leave as he himself vanished only to reappear at the bottom the stairs. 

The Cat looked as if he was waiting for her at the doorway to the dining room. But for some reason, he sat with his mouth agape. Staring at something going on inside that was enough to make his already thin fur stand on end. 

There, inside the dining room coming out of a hand mirror carelessly left on the long mahogany dining table, was a gangly looking thin arm with a white glove. What looked the oddest was that from the side there was nothing under the table but open air. The disembodied arm had already poured itself a cup of tea and was wandering around the table trying to find the sugar bowl, and worse of all her aunt was just in the next room! The Cat slowly lifted a paw and swiftly slapped it across his own face. 

Alice walked into the dining room. She surely saw what was going on, but she showed no reaction to the scene before her. Taking her seat on the table, she ignored Anna's shocked looks as she entered the room carrying a silver serving tray. 

"What is this!?" The older woman yelped as she dropped the tray right next to the Hatter's arm as it jerked up a bit. The tray made a loud clatter as the elderly woman held a hand to her mouth. But it wasn’t the shimmering mirror or the arm poking through the surface of the table that was the focus of her shock. It was Alice. "What did you to your dress!? Your face!?" She gawked at the young girl as if the poor woman was about to have a heart attack. Thankfully she was far too furious to notice a man’s hand plunking two sugar cubes into a teacup with a pair of small tongs. The cat who was watching could swear he just lost one of his nine lives.

"I did what needed to be done." Alice's reaction was so simple: She just glared at her aunt and spoke almost too soft for her to hear. It seemed that Anna wasn't satisfied with the answer. So all of her efforts were for nothing? There hasn’t been even a single progress made since Alice came to stay at her estate. 

"I need to teach you more manners, young lady!" Her expression was simply horrified. And... Alice...did nothing.

Meanwhile, the ghostly arm with tea in hand vanished back into the mirror. Only to return a few seconds later to snatch a cucumber sandwich or two from the tray. The Cat sighed and was glad that was ended and now knew his job had just gotten a lot harder. Anna who was ignorant to the somewhat paranormal activities behind her had already started to go on with her lecture. She was so frustrated about Alice's behavior that her vision went red, so she was unable to see what was happening around her. If she had... well... Let's not think about it. 

Alice ignored her words and reached for the salad, which made Anna even more frustrated. It was like she was talking to a wall. But even a wall would have listened after Anna raised her voice even more. When the dark brooding girl took a bite of her meal, her Aunt stopped talking and sighed heavily. It was obvious she had given up and decided not to continue her lecture. It was simply pointless. 

"Alice, go to your room until you know how to behave and dress properly." Without a single word, the girl stood up and did so. She wasn't feeling hungry anyway. Staying right behind Alice’s footsteps up the ornate staircase the Cat followed closely. He looked up at Alice as she stomped up the stairs and was worried about her, she looked so pale. He had a few bones to pick with a certain hat maker as he trotted into the bedroom. The Hatter was already there sitting on her dresser with his long stork-like legs folded under him, and cuddling his newly obtained cup like a child does a stuffed animal. 

"Oh, my sweet nectar of the gods. I shall never leave you again!" He sighed lovingly and took another savory sip. 

The girl slammed the door behind her, but it didn't lock. Anna never allowed her to lock her door and the bolt had been removed. There might be a risk of Alice locking herself in and she didn't want that. She sighed running a hand through her long straight hair and glanced over at the Hatter who looked so comfortable on her dresser. Was it really a good place to sit? "I don't know what's wrong with her." She sighed and walked to her bed and sat down. She was trying her best, but it never pleased her aunt. Was there really something wrong with her aunt, or was there something wrong with her? The Hatter stopped drinking for a moment tilting his head. 

"Wrong? I found her delightful myself. She’s like having a much older, much angrier version of the Duchess." He paused and rubbed his chin. ”Perhaps they are related?" 

The Cat jumped up on her bed and shifted back to his more emaciated form for a moment as he glared at the Hatter. Not that one can really glare with a permanent grin on one's face. "My lower incisors. Do you want her thrown back into the Asylum?" The Hatter glanced down at the cat and blinked in confusion. 

"Certainly not. I only wanted a bit of tea. Besides I just had to see this aunt of hers for myself." After all, he wasn’t quite sure if she had meant 'aunt' or 'ant'. Thankfully it was the former. “Even if she did go back she would be used to it by now.” The Hatter said admittedly without thinking.

"Not the Duchess..."Alice sighed in response to his question. "She's related to me." Though the idea of Aunt Anna related to the Duchess was funny indeed. She smiled thoughtfully and lay back on her bed, finding the old rug bunny plush. It was her only remnant from the past... along with Wonderland of course. "Unlike me... she's weird." Or perhaps the opposite was truer. As she remembered her years back at the asylum she shivered a little. "I'm not going back to that place." She said and hugged the plush tight. 

The Hatter felt an odd knot in his stomach. Strange how after all the insults they’ve tossed back and forth over the years, that this time he actually felt guilty over having mentioned it. He set his cup on the dresser and stood up walking over to the bed and took a seat next to her. "..We won’t let that happen.." His voice came in a rare tone of sanity as he stared down at her. He raised his hand and held it near her cheek as if he were contemplating touching it or maybe even to move some of her dark hair from her face. His fingers just barely brushed her skin before he lost his nerve, and slid his hand to the back of his head coughing a little to cover it up. 

Why was the Hatter being this good to her so suddenly? They used to fight verbally a lot before. Was there something changing between them? The young woman always thought the Hatter disliked her because of her interruptions to his tea-parties. Green eyes looked over at his hand. It strangely felt warm. But when he took it back, she looked up at him. 

"Why do you want to help me?" She asked quietly as the Hatter raised a brow and for once didn’t have an immediate comeback to her question. He let out a slightly nervous chuckle as he stood up taking a step or two away and leaned on her dresser, crossing one foot over the other.

"H-help you? Indeed..." He said crooking his hat forward a little. "I only wish to make sure Wonderland doesn’t go back to what it was while you were, uh ’incapacitated’ shall we say." He said in a rather arrogant huff as the Cat just sighed to himself. 

After that awkward moment of them being this close, what the Hatter did was weird... But that was what he was. She raised her brows in a questioning manner and stood up after the Hatter, standing so close to him. If she was taller, their noses could touch each other. But she only came up to his shoulder level. The Hatter stared down into green emerald eyes with pale yellow pupils. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek wondering what she was about to do. She wasn’t going to try to kiss him, was she? But then something even worse happened...she took his hat! With a quick movement, she grabbed the brim and liberated the large chapeau right off of his head, and then stepped away from him. 

"You're still mean and arrogant." She sighed and wore the hat, eyeing herself in the mirror. It actually looked nice on her. The Hat Maker let out a squelched yelp placing both hands on his head; he was on the verge of panic!

"Alice! Please! You mustn’t! You already put a hole in it as it is!" He said putting all his fingers to his mouth in horror. 

For the first time, she was giving a visible facial expression. She was smiling... evilly. She posed and turned around, eyes locked on the mirror. "Doesn't it look good on me?" Evil green eyes glanced at the hatless-Hatter as she enjoyed torturing him. The arrogant man was probably feeling all naked now. Ah well... He certainly deserved it. "What if I don't give it back?" She winked playfully. The Hatter's eyes were fixed on his poor hat so far out of reach. 

"B-But you have too!!" He seemed completely at her mercy for the moment. "Please! It’s not mine you know! I’m a Hatter after all!" The Cat who stood witness was doing his best not to giggle. But his wider than usual grin was an indication that he was enjoying this just as much as Alice. Maybe she looked quite normal, being all playful. Like she never had been in that asylum before. She was really having fun. Climbing onto her bed, the girl started to jump up and down; her hands holding onto the sides of the hat. Laughing loudly, she jumped higher. The layers of her skirt were waving around her legs like a soft flag, her pale legs could be seen each time she landed. The Cat blinked as she started to bounce on the bed. He quickly lost his footing and slid off making a soft thud under quilts ruffled edge. So much for always landing on one's feet. The Hatter, on the other hand, watched helplessly as his hat was getting closer and closer to the ceiling. 

"Oh do be careful! You’re going to make it crease even mo-..." His eyes were slowly drawn away as her dress seemed to be getting closer to the ceiling as well. "...more..." His already short attention span had lost complete focus on his hat in peril and was drawn to the smooth legs and frilly dress. "..What was I talking about...?" He said giving a rather lecherous grin. Only to have his thoughts dashed to pieces as she landed with a thud into his arms. "Alice!" He gave her a glaring look.

"I think I'm going to keep this.” The young woman smirked and looked up at him, her breathing was quicker because of her bouncing on the bed. "I’m hungry, how about getting me some dinner? And in return, maybe I'll give you back your hat." Of course, she wouldn't. But it was nice to watch him try. She got down from his grip and wrapped her arms around the man's thin waist and gave him a twisted smile. The poor hat maker stared down at her in slight shock. But then his eyebrows lowered into a scowl. 

"So, it is to be blackmail then is it? Really, girl, I didn’t think you’d stoop so low as to hold a man’s hat hostage." He sighed resting an elbow on her shoulder propping his chin on his palm as if she were an end table. "Fine. But there’s nothing suitable here. Trust me. I’ve had your Aunts cucumber sandwiches. And I must say, I’ve tasted pepper tarts better than those." He slowly concocted a rather cunning idea on how to get his property back. "We will go to my house! I’m sure I have something there that’s worth my hats freedom.." He said as the Cat poked his head out from under the bed in a daze. Its grin never wavered but his eyes refused to focus as he saw two sets of people in front of him. Alice almost smiled happily for the first time in a long while because it was a chance to run away from this place. She did want it so badly. 

"Deal." The evil sparkles in her eyes changed her innocent looks. "And I want tea!" She could finally taste it. For a very long time, she was curious about the taste of his famous tea. And each time he had managed to cheat her out of so much as even a sip. Clenching her hands around the nice quality fabric of his shirt, she finally released the thin man. But it felt quite nice to hug someone... For all those years... she never was this close to anyone...

"Tea?! Must you up the ante so?" The Hatter sighed even more as his body slumped. So she wants tea now? He grunted a little closing his eyes. "..Very well. I suppose I can scrounge up something." He peeked an eye open at her. He had to admit...he rather liked her embrace as well. Though he’d never tell her that. When she finally let him go he fixed his ruffled bow tie and looked down at the cat before taking her hand. "Come along feline! Less you wish to be left behind!” He smirked at Alice and held his free hand towards the mirror over her dresser, as both were pulled into a powerful swirling vortex of light.


	5. Fade to Gray .

Alice held onto the tall man's hand still, pulling him a bit while walking through the looking glass. She could still feel the warmth inside the hat from its previous owner. It was strange. After all those cold nights in her aunt's house, this was the first time she’s felt warm. But now as they got closer to Wonderland again she was feeling terribly weird. Maybe a bit confused. It was odd because she didn’t feel this way before when she came with the Cat just a while ago. She sighed silently and started to drag the Hatter towards the path as soon as they set foot on real ground. The grass under their feet felt soft and cool under a shaded tree as they walked. The Tulgy Wood was a strange place full of old twisted trees and even stranger animals. A small tufted momewrath watched them before it was startled and hid in a bush. The Hatter blinked as she all but dragged him with her. 

"My, you must be hungry..." He said with a slight grin. "Or is it you just like holding my hand?" Alice's answer was a cold glare at those yellow irises. If he thought he would get a true answer to this question, he was mistaken greatly. 

"Will there be dessert as well?" She tightened her grip on the man's hand, almost digging her nails into his skin. The pale green man raised a brow at her and looked down at his hand. His white glove started to show a few dots of red. But he didn’t really feel anything. After all, he was partially clockwork. 

"..Well, I haven’t been in my house for a long while. But perhaps.." He paused as they came to a fork in the path. One lane had a sign that read 'Hare's House" And the other side read 'Hat Maker'. The Hatter sighed a little and didn’t even glance at the other path. But steered her in the direction of his own home. Pushing the amazingly huge hat on her head up just to clear her vision, the girl caught the expressions on the Hatter's face. Was he feeling something sad? It was hard for her to tell since even sadness felt far away for Alice in these times. She was emotionally numb and she only remembered the coldness. But she was feeling even more so now for some reason she couldn’t understand. Something felt different this time through the mirror as she all but snapped at him in response. 

"As long as you don't tell me what to do at the table, it's okay." Aunt Anna did that enough. 

The Hatter chuckled. "And as long as you don’t yell at me when I need to move down for a clean cup. It is okay with me as well.." He looked up as a small house came into view. A place he hasn’t been to in years. The cottage was a mess and in disrepair since he spent all his time waiting at the tea party. He let go of Alice’s hand and pushed the wooden gate open as it creaked on its rusted hinges. Walking up the stone path past a broken sign that said "Hatter" on it. For the building was not only his home but his hat shop as well. He pressed his thumb onto the door latch and pushed the door open. The inside was just in as bad of shape on the outside. Covered in dust and cobwebs. The cottage was dirty and looked like the Hatter didn't even visit here for a century or more. Was there even any trace of food in his house? 

"Aunt Anna should never see this place, or you'll be grounded for the rest of your life." Alice gave a little smile, then held onto ‘her’ hat walking around to explore the Hat maker’s home. Stopping in front of a shelf, she poked the little objects curiously. "Don't you feel lonely?" Green eyes were turned up to the blond man's green face. The Hatter's smile faded a little at the question.

"Uh...Lonely?" He rubbed the back of his head and quickly changed the subject. "I ..I’m sure I have some food here somewhere. I did make a bargain after all...." He gave her an evil smirk of sorts as he walked past her quickly, past his workbench with a few half done hats on it and into the humble kitchen. After a short while and some loud banging, a few objects flew past the doorway. Including some pots and pans and an old tea kettle as he searched the cupboards. A half rusted teapot hit the wall bouncing off of it and rolled by Alice's feet. But then it did something odd...it moved...Then it rolled so it was sitting upright. It gave a cough and a splutter and a whir as six small clockwork legs popped out of the bottom. It tilted its spout way back as if looking up at her. 

The young woman just listened to the voices the Hatter made. It sounded like a battle was going on in his kitchen. What was he doing really? When the weird teapot landed and started to walk like a spider, she just gasped faintly and watched it. It was truly insane... like the Hatter was. Crouching down and poking the teapot curiously. Yes... she really missed Wonderland. Even the rudeness of the Hatter. But to be honest, she really liked the changes in Hatter... But wait... Was he partially a machine? The little clanking teapot turned and waddled back into the kitchen and up to the Hatter who was sticking halfway out of one of the cupboards. He was tossing out few dishes as they broke on the floor. 

"Ahh HA!" He sat back after finding a tin of tea and opened the lid taking in a deep breath. "Aged to perfection! Now all I need is…There you are!" He said looking down at the poor teapot. He stood up to his full height that just towered over the little automaton as he pointed a finger down at it. "Running away will do you no good this time!" He reached down and grabbed its handle as the legs wavered and placed it on the counter folding his arms. "Well go on!" The teapot just whistled and walked across the counter to the stove.

"Don't hurt him!" Alice raised her brows and watched the dramatic scene between the two. That teapot wasn't probably able to feel any pain, but... She felt a bit pity for the poor thing. Nailing at her dress' skirts, the young woman shook her head slowly. "You're mean as ever!" She said turning her nose up at him as the Hatter looked on rather confused at her concern. 

"Hurt it? I’m not going to hurt it. If I don’t yell at it, it would never do as I say and just end up running off again! Most likely with those hooligan friends of his the Dish and the Spoon! A slacker of a teapot it is.." He glared at the small walking thing as it jumped and skittered to the stove and switched on the flame taking its place above it on the burner. The Hatter rubbed his hands. "Now..food..let’s see. I know! I can make you a nice stew! Alice, there’s a garden in the back. There should be some vegetables growing there still...If you would be so kind..?"

The young woman sighed and knew it was a mistake to argue anything that was remotely sensible with him. She gave a bored shrug and turned her back to the man, and walked out the door and out into the garden. Her emotionless face remained still as she glanced around. The garden he was talking about was once beautiful but since he left it was now overgrown and wild. But still had a charm to it. A cracked teapot fountain in the middle spouted a small stream of water into its basin. Among the rows of twisted vines and wildflowers, some modest vegetables could be seen and standing above them a scarecrow with, of course, a top hat. But what Alice didn’t know was that this was all part of a ruse. The Hatters plan was simple. Everyone knows that certain foods or drink in Wonderland changes your size. As it just so happens he has a few roots and tubers growing in the garden that does just that. His way of making sure that his customers were just the right size for the hats he sold without having to actually alter the hats themselves. His hats were his art, and it should be the patrons who change just to have the honor to wear them. All he needed to do was shrink Alice down to the size of a scone and bottle her up for a while. Then his hat would be rightfully his to claim once more! Inside the house, he couldn’t help but snicker at his rather ingenious...and insane...plan.

As the unwary Alice headed towards the rows of produce she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. The colors around her began to waver and everything was turning to black and white so slowly it was hard to even detect at first. It was almost beautiful... almost... Colors seem to fade and die one by one, even she was starting to feel pale. Looking down to her hands, she gave a little sigh and kneeled down beside the vegetables. It must be her mind tricking her again... right? But it wasn’t a trick at all. The water bubbling out of the fountain abruptly stopped as a shadow fell over the house. Dark clouds on the horizon seem to appear from nowhere and the air grew bitter cold. 

Inside the cottage, the Hatter was already boiling some water when he stopped and looked up out of the nearest window. The wind outside picked up as his top hat weather vane turned direction towards the north. He gasped and dropped the walking teapot and ran outside. "Alice!!" He could feel the cold as he ran into the garden only to come to a skidding halt. His eyes widened seeing Alice almost completely drained of color! He reached down grabbing her forearm. "Alice! We must get inside!" But Alice didn't stand up. She didn't want to go. 

"Why?" Her sound came out so coldly, even the wind was warmer than that. All she wanted was spending a bit more time here... alone... Holding onto the hat on her head for not to lose it with the upcoming storm, she took her arm away from the Hatter. "I'm hungry." She looked down to the colorless vegetables. 

The Hatter frowned and looked up at the storm moving closer. If they were discovered out in the open... "Please Alice, you must come inside with me!" He looked down at her arm that was now white as marble and he knew what was happening. He had to get her away from it or she would be lost forever! He grunted and picked her up in his arms and made a dash for the door. The Hatter then kicked it open and ran inside, slamming it shut behind him with his shoulder. He kept his back to the door, his gear making deep grooves in the aged wood. He growled up at the passing clouds. As he did so the storm above let out a powerful eerie roar as it passed overhead. The sound could be heard for miles as the trees lashed violently, and he could feel it in his feet. He stood still for the longest time as whatever it was finally flew past. They had managed to go unnoticed...for the time being.

"...Accursed thing...." The Hatter said under his breath and paused looking down as he blushed all over again. 

It was so sudden and so unexpected to be picked up from where she was sitting and being carried towards the house. Emotionless eyes looked up to the gray sky through the window as her arms were wrapped around the Hatter's neck automatically. After a second she sighed tiredly and buried her face in his neck, breathing warm air against his skin, her eyes closed. She had no idea what was going on, but she knew Wonderland was changing again. For how long would it keep changing? 

"Uh.." The flustered clockwork man coughed a little and walked into a small living room off the kitchen. Placing her on an overstuffed plaid sofa. The color was slowly returning to her hands and face. With the thing outside gone the danger was passed as he placed a hand on her head. "Alice?...Are you alright?" The young woman just stared down at her hands, looking so quiet and pale. 

"I guess not." She whispered. If she were alright then this wouldn’t have happened in the first place, right? With a slow movement, she took off the hat from her head and put it next to her on the sofa. "How long has it been like this?" She whispered and looked up at the Hatter in the eye. He looked worried as if he knew the strange cloud would have an effect on her. But this was not why he brought her there. This was not meant to happen! The beast hasn’t been in this area in months. But he had also noticed something else. Even when the thing wasn’t around Alice was acting differently. She seemed much colder and had an odd look in her eyes that he couldn’t place. Not that she didn’t always have an odd look in her eyes, but this was exceptionally different.

"You will feel better soon. Maybe you should sleep now? When you wake up then you can eat..." He then knelt down next to her and pulled a shawl up over her shoulders. No words came out of her lips. Her silence was a bit scary for her mental state. She was losing it again... losing everything she had. No, she didn't want to sleep. All she wanted was... She actually didn't know what she wanted. 

"You can have your hat back." Words came out coldly. "I don't want it anymore." Green eyes were closed slowly as she took a deep breath in. The next thing she felt was a hand in hers, it was warm but it also had a strange feel to it. The Hatter had taken hold of her hand as he smiled down at her. 

"No no, a bargain is a bargain after all. I can’t have it back until you’re satisfied with your food, remember? Don’t back out on me now." His grip tightened and she could feel his pulse..yet..it wasn’t a pulse. More like the ticking of a clock. It may not have been normal but it was at least rhythmic and soothing. "You asked me before if I was lonely, yes? Well...if you must know.." He leaned forward just a little and whispered. "....Not anymore..." She opened her eyes slightly to see the Hatter's face. So close... So weird... He was being so nice to her. She wondered if she deserved that. 

"You shouldn't trust someone whose sanity is not even near stable." She gave a little smile... a twisted one. Then her hand was tightened on his hand. "And certainly... you shouldn't trust someone who killed you once. It may happen a second time." Was this supposed to be some kind of sweet words? She was indeed smiling, but her words were nowhere near sweet. 

The Hatters eyes opened, and then he broke into laughter. "HAH Haha!" He giggled and shook and even had to wipe away a few tears. "My dear you are talking to someone with the word 'Mad' in his name. I don’t think you need to worry about who is stable or not." He closed his eyes and then smiled. "Contrarywise you did not kill me. I would not be here had you done so. If anything you saved me...." 

Alice could still remember the copper taste on her tongue... It was his taste... his blood... Her lips quirked up in another twisted smile as she started to laugh at Hatter's words. He was insane, that much was true. People in the asylum called her insane, too. So, they had some similar points! How nice. She slowly reached to his collar and gripped it tightly, and pulled him to herself so suddenly it made him jump. "I killed you." She laughed so brightly, like a really happy girl who had everything she wanted in her life. Coaxing the Hatter into a tight hug, she traveled her fingertips on the clock-gear on his back... so softly... so carefully. "Shouldn't you be afraid of me?" She grinned as her hand suddenly locked tight around the gear. It whined and tried to fight against the tension as his hands curled into fists. 

The Hatter felt his face blush again as she hugged him. But the warm feeling soon vanished as he winced in pain. She was stopping the gear on his back from turning! The very thing that kept him animated. Now he recognized the look in her eyes! It was the same look she had when they were fighting each other. His eyes narrowed and he got an odd grin when she spoke into his ear. "I think the question my dear girl is...Shouldn’t you be afraid of me?" He chuckled as she felt something cold against her chin. The end of his index finger separated into two halves as the brass barrel of a gun was now pointing at her throat. One of the many features his former clockwork madman self had improved upon his form. The Hatter grinned even more...he was starting to like this game!


	6. Of Wits and Weapons.

The barrel of the gun pressed into her chin pushing her head up slightly. The Hatter may have lost the malice and dark intentions of his former self. But he did find the extra additions to his person came in handy every now and again. "Now..now. If all you’re doing is trying to....g-get my attention. There are better ways than stopping my workings." He said through his bucked teeth as she held onto the gear; it creaked and moaned under the stress. "Or if it’s really a battle you want, I can accommodate." 

Alice remained silent for a while. The Hatter was being very rude again. First, he brought her into his house and now he was threatening her with a weapon. That was the way that man always was. "So rude..." She whispered letting go of the gear. As if by instinct her hand reached under the sofa she was lying on and pulled out a very familiar blade. Unlike any other, it was reminiscent of a kitchen knife but etched in ornate swirls and decorations with a heavy handle made to fit her thin fingers. A thin strong blade with a razor edge much like its owner. She pressed it to the tall man's neck; her face as emotionless as ever. If he wanted to play this way, then she was fine with that. 

The Hatters eyes widened seeing his reflection in a very shiny surface. "Ahhh...So your Vorpal blade follows you like a little lost lamb does it?" His mouth turned up in a smirk. Being Wonderland and all it was no surprise that her old weapon would be stuck under his sofa. It could have appeared anywhere it wanted at any time depending on her need. "But one shouldn’t bring a knife to a gun fight you know." He said and stood up taking the weapon away from her chin and stepped backward. He held his hand still aimed at her, but after a moment there was a click and a whir as the gun barrel retracted back into his index finger. The two halves of his glove then resealed back along the seams. 

Alice just stared at him, maybe she was not in an advantage here in this fight as the Hatter pointed out, but come on... Wasn't it funnier to use a blade? Tracing her index finger on the sharp edge of the Vorpal, she stood up and reached for the poor hat, placing it on her head slowly. An evil smile was on her face. Putting his precious top hat right in the middle of their squabble would indeed make him upset. She had a few more tricks to destroy his guard. Yellow eyes locked onto his hat, a bead of sweat rolled down his face. But an odd grin took the place of worry as he reached behind him. He then slowly pulled a long black cane out of an umbrella stand near the door. The wood was ebony and a slightly tarnished heavy silver teapot was affixed to the top. He spun the object around in his fingers, the end making a silver blur in the air. As it came to a stop he slid it up over his shoulder and grinned tilting his head at her. 

"Am I to take it this will be a game of wits and weapons then? And my hat is the prize?" He chuckled a little placing his free hand on his hip as he shifted his weight to one foot. 

Alice couldn’t help but admire how he was trying to get out of giving her tea once more. She sighed and moved towards a shelf, which had many teacups and pots on it. They were are all very beautiful and probably priceless. Alice could imagine the Hatter's special bond with all this china. Her face was locked on the man; her blade was pointing at him threateningly. It was maybe weird but... She almost missed this. Like she missed the blood. "No..." She whispered silently. "I'll return the hat when I'm no longer hungry." Her lips quirked up into an evil smile. "I'm wearing it now because it looks good on me." And she still could feel the Hatter's scent and the warmth inside the brim. He watched her carefully as she moved across the room as he spoke. 

"Ah, so you’d rather keep our original pact then? Splendid! Then this game will be just for the fun of it!" He then continued in a cool sarcastic almost lucid voice. "And it’s a good thing your blade did show up. If this were a game of just wits alone you’d be left unarmed." He said grinning wide as the end of his cane turned in his hand, fully enjoying his little quip at her expense.

"Seems like you also missed my blade." She approached closer to the shelf and reached for a very fancy teacup, looking at it with a twisted smile, then to the tall blond man. "It's quite a reunion then." With those words, she threw the cup at the Hatter, but she missed and smashed it to the wall. But wait... she didn't miss... That was what she wanted. 

The insane hat maker brought his arm up to shield his face from the shards when the teacup hit the wall. His expression was one of shock as the pieces fell to the floor. "Gah! That was an un-birthday present!!" He said and snapped a look at her. "If you’re going to throw things throw the un-expensive ones first!" Well, that managed to rile him up at least. Though she wasn’t doing this to be sadistic, no. She was just teasing an old friend who so deserved every second of it. Reaching for another cup she directly threw it down on the floor and the pieces flew around with a loud crash. The Hatter winced. Those were the only clean cups he had left! "Wretched girl! Stop that right now!" He fumed as the gear on his back spun for a moment. "You’re not playing fair! Leave my innocent teacups out of this!" He yelped pointing at her as his face changed to a darker green out of anger.

"Everything in your house is innocent then?" She raised her brows as she enjoyed the Hatter's every reaction. Poor guy was already losing it. "Give me a reason to stop." She smashed another cup, then reached for the china teapot and smiled at him innocently. 

His hand gripped hard on the cane as he bit his lower lip. But then a sly grin came over his face. It was after all a game of 'wits' as well as weapons. "It seems your mind has gotten as dull as your blade If you must resort to breaking cups..."He folded his arms. ”I was expecting something a little more 'advanced' from you Alice." 

The girl’s eyes widened as the Hatter insulted her. Dull? How dare he?! A small spark of what could be anger flashed across her face as she suddenly threw her knife at him, stabbing his left pant-leg to the wall perfectly. "Then how is this? Getting any better?" She huffed and started to walk towards him. She dropped the teapot as it cracked on the floor and scooped up another small cup hiding it behind her back. 

The Hatter blinked and then looked down as the blade stuck out of the wall through his pant leg. It hadn’t hit anything essential and only managed to catch the fabric. It did, however, put a nasty hole in his trousers and he was now pinned where he was. He looked up at her and smirked. "Hit a nerve did I?" He chuckled and reached down grabbing the blade by the handle and tried to pull it out. But the stubborn weapon was just as impossible as she was. "Unngg! Blasted thing..." He glanced over at her as she approached feeling at a bit of a disadvantage. "..Uh, Alice? You wouldn’t attack me when I am suffering from such a tragic handicap now would you?" He grinned a little as the dark girl shifted her eyes and approached even closer to the Hatter with cat-steps. 

"Maybe you should learn how not to be so rude, and serve me a cup of your cheap tea!" She stopped right in front him once more and poked his angular nose with the porcelain cup in her hand. "Or is it that too difficult for you, old man!?" 

The Hatters green face went pale; the large gear on his back seemed to jerk forward over a few ticks as anger boiled over in his eyes. She can break his cups, steal his hat and even call him names. But that was the last straw! His eyebrows fell as the dark rims of his eyes became ever more pronounced as a shadow fell over the upper half of his face. "...No one calls my tea...cheap!" He sneered yanking the blade out with a sharp tug. "Right then! No more gentle words from me!" He leaned in towards her until they were almost eye level. "You wish to know what I really think of you, girl!?" He took in a deep breath. "I think you’re a pale, skinny, silly woman who can’t stand up for herself, and then takes out her aggression on all around her even if they don’t deserve it! Not to mention you’re a gloomy psychotic little brat!" He said poking her in the shoulder with the teapot on the end of his cane.

Alice listened to the Hatter's words with finally an expression on her face: anger! She fumed and slapped the cane poking her in the shoulder away, and yanked the blade out of his grip in the same motion. How she wanted to smash his face right here, right now! How dare he say those things?! How dare he?! With a burst of fury she closed her palm around the cup she was holding and crushed it to pieces. She tossed the pieces behind her as they hit a nearby shelf knocking all the china off as they came crashing to the floor. Holding her blade tight, she watched the Hatter with a sadistic smile on her face. "You're talking way too much, Mr. Bull-in-a-china-shop!" The house was getting worse, but ah well... He would be the one cleaning it, not Alice. “You started this after all!" 

The Hatter froze as all of the items on the shelf smashed all over the floor as he sighed. "...My precious teacups..." He muttered under his breath and then looked down at her and sneered. "I started this?” He then remembered and nodded in agreement. "So I did. Then I shall finish it!" The tall green man chuckled madly and launched towards her bringing up his cane as it locked with her blade. The silver teacup glinting a few sparks off of razor sharp edge. "Heh heh heh..." 

Alice frowned as the cane and blade locked together. She could remember this same scene as they fought before. Not for 'fun' as the Hatter put it but for her very life! She shoved the cane away and slashed upward with the blade as the two weapons clashed against each other. The Hatter grinned and jumped backward behind a Victorian style chair he had next to a table to use as cover, only to have the back sliced off. Maybe her blade wasn’t so dull? Both weapons swung in wide arcs creating sparks and sharp clangs whenever they hit. Outside it sounded as if there was a skirmish going on inside between the entire Red and White Chess armies! The fight continued as they made their way around the room. Neither of them able to get the upper hand as more and more objects and furniture became casualties of war. After one final swipe of the cane and blade, they both stood in the middle of the room panting half exhausted.

"Is that really how you think of me!?" Alice frowned at him with disappointment. 

The Hatter just stared at her as his rather thin chest heaved trying to catch his breath. His face turned into a scowl as his eyes narrowed as if he were about to confirm Alice’s fears until his face brightened and he began to laugh!. "No..But I did manage to get you furious didn’t I." Standing upright again the room fell into a shocked quiet. It was time for Alice to turn red now. Who knew behind all those cold looks, she could blush for something so silly? Feeling the heat rising up to her face, she quickly put her free hand on her cheek. Why was she blushing anyways? She really thought hard, but couldn't come up with an answer. The Hatter raised a brow at her. This was the first time he’s ever seen her blush at anything. Then or now. He was about to say something sarcastic to the effect when she promptly stomped on his shoe with all of her might! He yelped and hopped on one long leg while holding his throbbing foot. "Ow! What was that for?!" 

Alice folded her arms and just huffed turning up her nose. Hoping that blush would fade away quickly, she sighed. "You deserved it!" But sadly her whole face was becoming even redder the harder she tried to stop. 

Hatter paused still standing on one foot and looked down at her as a wry smile moved across his face. "E-heh...You're blushing even more so now. I didn’t know you could go pink. I must say the color looks good on you.." He said wiggling his eyebrows at her. 

Sparks of embarrassment shone in her emerald green irises. "Oh you..you..impossible...deranged...!!!!.." Alice shook from rage trying to come up with a full sentence when the Hatter noticed something. During the battle, one edge of her dress was curled up a little more than it should be. Actually, very more than it should be. Holding up a hand he just had to interrupt her. 

"Alice before you continue you may wish to check your dress...I can see your knickers..." He said in all sincerity. 

The girls pale face turned all the more red as she jumped away from the Hatter, trying to pull her dress down to her knees! Did he really see her black rabbit issued knickers? This was humiliating! "Oh just...BE QUIET!!" She yelled as she waved an arm at him in pure anger. Her green eyes were opened wide as the Vorpal blade slipped out of her hand and went right into the Hatter's shoulder. 

The man chuckled but then heard a strange crunch as he froze with wide open yellow eyes and slowly looked down. "A-Alice?" The blade hadn’t missed him this time but went right through him with the tip sticking out of the back of his vest. Hatter placed a hand up to his chest and could feel the handle of the knife with his fingers. He wavered slightly and fell backward sliding down the nearest wall. A stain of red started to soak into his clothes as his head fell forward. 

Her expression went pale. What has she done!? And this time, The Hatter wasn't even evil. Making a worried sound in the back of her throat, Alice watched him sliding down the wall and now sitting there unmoving. The girl quickly knelt beside him and placed her hands on his arm. "A- are you..." She took a deep breath and looked at his face. "...are you alright?" Of course, he was not, how could he be!? He remained there motionless for a long while, seemingly dead….

Until a gleeful yellow eye popped open at her as he smiled. 

"Am I alright? Of course, I am!" He looked down at his shoulder and seemed almost puzzled on how the sharp thing got lodged there to begin with. Grabbing hold of the blade’s handle and wiggled it back and forth a bit, making a sound like metal grating against metal. When it finally came free one could see a set of gears turning through the slit it had made in his shirt. A small jet of steam puffed out from within the wound, and what was thought to be blood was more rusted water than anything else. "There we go! No damage was done." He looked over at her and raised a brow. "Why, my dear Alice. You were worried about me weren’t you?" He smiled looking down at her hands on his arm. "More than worried I'd say." The madman said and leaned closer to her. "Were you afraid you had killed me again, Hmmmmmmm?" He half closed his eyes at her and touched the long checkered hat that was still sitting on her head, and tilted it back just a little. Alice's reaction was one of total shock as if he had just slapped her across the face. 

"You! You silly old man!" Alice yelled as she wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek, right beside his mouth. But then she remembered his little performance and frowned again pulling away, smacking his head with the back of her hand. "You obsessed hat maniac!" 

The Hatter gave her an odd look. "...Old?" Before he could make a protest at the term she grabbed him and kissed him. His face went blank but after the initial surprise, he grinned very wide. "Heh..Well, I prefer mad to mani-Ow!" His face turned sour when she hit him. "You're going to knock even more screws loose if you keep that up!" He whined rubbing his forehead. Just then a sharp whistle cut through the air as the little automaton teapot in the kitchen sounded that the water was boiled. The Hatmaker sat up and removed a strange looking pocket watch from his vest pocket and opened it. The watch was not broken but it also never moved from the six o clock position. 

"Tea time!!" He stood up as if nothing had happened at all and stepped over the sofa that chose that very moment to fall apart into pieces like a loaf of sliced bread. And poor Alice just sat there on the floor, watching him with her usual confused expression as she just sighed to herself.


	7. Small Problems.

Alice was still sitting on the ground, trying to figure out what had just happened. Why on earth did she do that!? The Hatter was insane and hadn’t changed a bit since her childhood. Well not mentally anyway. It'd be quite a surprise indeed if he had changed. So why did she kiss him in the first place!? Was that oddly placed affection simply out of reflex or something else? No, no, no... She would deny it! After all, she never wanted to be among mad people in the first place, let alone kiss them! It was entirely his fault, to begin with! Pretending to be hurt like the rat snake that he is. He scared her half to death! It was just an innocent kiss out of concern, no big deal. It’s not like he was her beau or…. No! Shaking the very idea out of her mind, Alice concluded that she was thinking far too much on the matter. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced into the kitchen. The clockwork madman was acting like nothing had happened. He was even busy preparing his ridiculous tea, paying her no mind at all. So maybe it really wasn’t a big deal? Ah well, at least she would finally be able to drink some of that tea.

The Hatter whistled as he worked in the kitchen. The damage to his shoulder was minimal and he hardly felt a thing as a random puff of steam came from the rip in his vest. As he placed a tarnished silver tea tray near the stove, the clockwork teapot stepped up onto it next to a couple of cracked teacups. Everything was going fine until something in his mercury-addled mind snapped like a broken clock spring. His body froze as he stared into space. Did his main gear just break? Then he remembered what had transpired only moments before as a hand slowly came up to his cheek. It was so...odd...even more so than he was used to. The corner of his mouth twitched a little. She had kissed him. He paused rubbing the spot, it wasn’t half as revolting as he thought it would be. It was actually sort of..nice. He then shook his head to clear it and looked over at the pot of stew bubbling on the stove. He had almost completely forgotten why it was there. 

"Oh right...The food.." He picked up two wooden bowls that survived the onslaught and filled them, placing them on the tray near the teapot. He cleared his throat and walked to the door and stared down at her for a long moment. His face had gotten a dark green tinge to it as he swallowed rather hard. The young woman's emerald eyes met with the Hatter's, her face blushing at the same time. Trying to regain some shred of her dignity back she all but jumped to her feet dusting off her skirts, avoiding the Hatter's gaze. 

"It smells nice." She spoke quietly, looking at the tray and not at his face. "I’m starving." 

The Hatter glanced down at the food and for some reason couldn’t find his voice right away either. "Y-yes...Well, it’s not the best food but it should suffice.." The little mechanical teapot on the tray puzzled a little and looked up at him and then over to Alice. As if wondering why they were both acting if they were broken. The Hatter placed the tray on a small round table with legs that were carved into a set of lion’s feet, shoving away a chair that got demolished during the fight. He pulled up a slightly torn armchair for Alice and an ottoman for himself since all the other furniture was either broken or slashed. 

Alice nodded and sat down placing her hands on her knees and staring at the food. Her silence was building up the tension in the little house. She quickly reached up for the fork and forced a small smile, which never succeeded. "Better than auntie's, that's for sure." She was still not able to look at him in the face. She was so worried about Hatter in the end of their little fight. What would she do if she really did hurt him? The thought was rather disturbing... because she knew the answer... She sighed and looked down at the stew and took in a deep breath of its aroma. It smelled good as she took a forkful and plunked it in her mouth. The taste was rather plain but that was all she really needed. Her Aunt’s food was always too rich or too spicy. 

The Hatter sat down and interlocked his fingers in front of him and stared at her. Something strange was happening to him, and he couldn’t quite figure out what. Alice somehow looked different to him now. Before she was just an irritating girl who liked to purloin his hat. But now she was sort of, pleasant. Maybe even dare he say, pretty? Not to mention smaller...wait..smaller? The Hatter leaned back a bit as his face went blank; he quickly looked down at the stew in his bowl. “Oh dear..."

Alice was busy thinking, so she didn't even notice what was happening to her. The stew was indeed delicious and she was quite hungry. It was a moment later she realized how tall the green-skinned man was. He was very tall, to begin with already, but now he was looking even more so. And was he growing taller? The girl glanced around as she witnessed the house was growing as well. But wait, it wasn’t the house at all, but that meant...! Emerald eyes opened wide as the fork dropped from her hand and fell hitting the chair hard like a tree falling in the forest. The long checkered hat that she had pilfered fell off and rolled behind the chair. "What did you make me eat?!" A shock of panic ran through her veins as she was trapped on the chair with her new size. 

The Hatter gritted his teeth and leaned far over the table looking down at her. The little mechanical teapot also leaned down with his spout. Oh, she was going to tear his gear out for sure for this as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well uh...Heh...funny thing what. I may have accidentally mind you, placed a few shrinking roots into the stew...by accident..." He said poking his fingers together. 

"Accident?!" The little girl gasped. "What kind of an accident is this?" Scary thoughts started to fill her mind. What would she do if auntie saw her like this? Probably the poor woman would have a heart attack and Alice would be sent to the asylum again. Standing up and placing her hands on her hips, shouting up at him. "Turn me back to normal size this instant!" She yelled stomping her tiny foot on the chair. 

The Hatter winced, she may be small but her voice was still as loud as ever. He pulled the table away and kneeled in front of the chair. "Now, now, let’s not panic. You know as well as I do that this can be reversed...” He said and tilted his head and couldn’t help but lean in closer. "Heh, You are rather small aren’t you?" He snickered and reached a finger towards her only to get it stabbed with a reduced Vorpal blade. "Ow!" Pulling his finger back the Hatter stuck it in his mouth and glared at her. "Well, that was rude..." 

"That’ was rude!?" She said in a furious tone. "You haven’t seen rude..." She folded her arms and huffed. "And I wasn't even able to taste your tea yet." She walked to the edge of the chair and looked down at the sheer drop. This was starting to get very scary. 

"..I see you two have been having fun...." 

The Hatter sat up hearing a rather irritating yet calm monotone voice behind him. He jumped seeing the cat now sitting on the table. Frowning a little his face fell into a pout, leave it to the Cheshire to ruin a perfectly fine afternoon. "Don’t you ever knock?" He said folding his arms as he stared at the grinning feline. 

Alice's heavily darkened with makeup eyes, started at the Hatter with a great anger. Then she heard the familiar voice of the Cheshire Cat, maybe he could help them to solve this little problem. Carefully she started to climb down from the edge of the chair. She wasn't going to stand there all day. 

The Cat looked down at Alice and then turned his attention back to the hat maker, who was starting to feel a little uneasy. After all, he only wanted to get his hat back. A bead of sweat rolled down his green face. "Just a 'small' incident Feline. Nothing to lose the rest of your hair over I’m sure." He said as the Cat jumped down from the table and padded over to Alice and sat down in front of her. 

"Small indeed..." The Car purred and casually leaned over and picked Alice up by her apron strings in his mouth like a kitten. The poor girl was now being carried as she folded her arms. How great... This situation was getting worse. Her emerald eyes were locked on the Hatter, she was already making plans for how to make him pay for this. She was so going to burn his hat. The Hatter watched the cat and smiled a little. 

"I can fix this you know. It was only a couple of roots. She will be perfectly fine in no ti-" His voice trailed off as the cat turned looking right at him with his usual cold grinning stare.

"That won’t be necessary I assure you." He purred looking up at him. "You are cut off.." The emaciated cat stood up and started to walk to the door with poor teeny Alice in tow. 

The Hatter all but jumped to his feet and narrowed an eye looking a bit confused. "Cut off?" He walked past the cat and stood in front of him blocking his path. "What do you mean cut off!?" 

The Cat paused and gave a sigh talking out of the corner of his mouth. "Just what I said. You can no longer travel to the other side of the mirror.." 

"You...You can’t do that!" The madman yelled and tried to make a grab for Alice but the cat passed right through him and vanished along with the girl. "Wait!!" The Hatter stopped short when he fell forward his hands hitting the floor. All he could do was stare ahead as his metal fingers dug into the wood. His long front teeth bit his lower lip as a long arm reached for the creased hat next to him as he placed it on his head. He slowly looked up as a pair of yellow irises glowed from under the shadow of its brim.


	8. The jaws that bite, the claws that catch.

The Hatter sighed deeply and was about to stand up when he heard a small sound behind him. His rather large ears perked up as he looked over his shoulder with a start. Was it Alice!? Had she come back? He couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved. But the room was still empty, still vacant. He knotted his eyebrows and stood up walking over to a small brick fireplace where the sound seemed to of originated from. He stooped down to take a closer look when a few flakes of soot flicked down the shaft. 

"Hmm curiouser ..." He was about to stand up when a sharp blast of air from the flue knocked him off of his feet sending him backward. He sat up on his knees holding onto the brim of his hat as the air shot through the fireplace! The wind slowly ebbed away as the tall green man opened an eye, a pang of fear ran through him like a shock. He quickly jumped to his feet and it was then he felt the floor under him begin to shake and split apart. His eyes widened as the floorboards creaked and moved away in all directions except for the few he was standing on, exposing an endless rocky chasm below. The walls around him started to get taller and the colors faded away slowly. The edges of the objects around the room were getting sharper, the lengths of everything were being pulled out of proportion by some great force. The cottage itself was warping around him, changing into some surreal nightmare. It was a sign that someone or something was coming. A guest that needed no invitations as the hat maker gasped. "..Oh dear..."

A deep growl came from the darkness as something stirred far below. The Hatter shook his head hard as if trying to rouse himself from this terrible dream. It was then two long dark spiral horns, bigger than any tree started to emerge in front of him. Soon followed by a massive scaly head. The beast was enormous, bigger than the Jabberwock ever was. And soon its terrible body filled his entire view. A pair of great clawed wings unfolded like the masts of a ship, its thin membranes stretched open. One large armored scaly front leg with gnarled claws hit the side of the chasm digging into the solid rock making the very earth tremble. The creature’s scales were iridescent, reflecting one color and then another depending on one’s views. But the hue didn’t seem to cover the scales at all. It was almost as if they were trapped within. Swirling inside like flowing water that still moved under the ice in early spring. The color didn’t seem natural for such a beast. Some were bright and vibrant and alive like they had been drained from Wonderland itself. Closing the huge wings, the dragon glanced around sharply, and then looked down at the Hatter with pride. Its teeth were sharp and probably the only white thing on its body. 

"I don't want to hear any more excuses." The voice was a sharp hiss and that tone could give a heart attack to anyone. 

The hat maker then looked up only to see a set of blazing red eyes staring down at him. "..M-mistress Naaxia...I wasn’t expecting you…for t-tea...." He gave a weak smile as he fumbled to take his hat off holding it in front of him. Only to have his voice cut short by another blast of wind as he covered his face with his arm. 

"Silence!" The great dragon hissed and moved her giant head towards the green-skinned man in order to get a better look at him. "You failed." The poor man swallowed hard as he tried to fix his hat back on his head straight. 

"I-I’m sorry Mistress. I wasn’t able to bring her t-to you. The Cat took her away." He said as his voice cracked bowing his head. 

The beast gave a loud huff from her nostrils, hot steam coming out with anger. "The girl was the size of a mouse and you still failed? Were you trying to protect her from me?" The Hatter winced and shook his head out of sheer terror.

"N-No! I swear I would never accurately, I mean honestly disobey!" He held his hands close to his chest. "P-Please. I’m doing my best...." Covering his eyes as the hot blast of air abruptly knocked him off the platform and he started to fall. A large clawed hand quickly caught the Hatter closing around him in an iron grip and brought him closer. Beings like this man were pitiful as was the rest of Wonderland. Small pathetic creatures that scurry around beneath her feet with no real direction in their lives. Playing ridiculous games and speaking riddles with no answers. The randomness of it all sickened her!

"I rule here now!" She started her little terrifying lecture again. "Wonderland's nonsense will come to an end as soon as that blasted child is taken care of!!" Her grip around the Hatter tightened as he winced in her scaly claws. 

The Naaxia either did not know or perhaps did not care about the Hatters apparent affections towards the girl. If she were to find out about the incident in the garden, when she first came for Alice then the Hatters life would surely be extinguished! All he could do was now was nod quickly as he tried to speak. "Y-yes Mistress Naaxia! I will do as you say!!" His chest heaved almost on the verge of panic but when he looked up into those unfeeling red eyes, he gasped seeing nothing within but emptiness. The terrified madman looked away quickly before his very soul was devoured, less he ends up a lifeless husk like his friends...the Hare and Dormouse. 

Naaxia was able to feel his horror. It was such a wonderful emotion and the only one she had a use for. "Your last chance." She breathed hot steam to the Hatter's face, making hem sweat quickly. She then dropped him as he landed with a hard thud onto the platform once more! "Now, go and find her. I don't want any more excuses. If you fail again, you'll join your friends forever!" 

The Hatter landed back on the torn floorboards and looked up at her. Feeling freezing and burning at the same time from the creatures grasp. "But...I...I can’t...The cat won’t let me..g-go through the mirror anymore..."

"I..." She huffed hot steam again. "...Don’t..." Her expression was sharper than ever. "... Want..." Everything suddenly seemed more lifeless as the air around them both wavered. "...Any more EXCUSES!" The Hatter was on his knees as he pulled his hat down further over his head and shook with fear. The color of his green face and even the black and white of his hat had lost its tone, changing into a drab gray like that of a dead tree. "Find a way!" She hissed so sharply that it echoed in this surreal house loudly. The windows shook to the point of breaking! 

"Y-yes Mistress Naaxia. I will do as you say...." He hoped he had said that out loud because he didn’t think he’d be able to repeat it. The dragon gave a last glance at the Hatter, freezing him down with her hate. Nonsense had ruled this world for far too long. Wonderland needed a new queen, a new ruler to bring order to the chaos that ran rampant. Naaxia would make this come true. But first... she needed to destroy the only obstacle in her way: Alice. Opening her giant wings, she gave a thunderous roar as the creature and everything around the Hatter shattered like glass and disappeared from sight.

The Hatter stayed where he was shaking like a leaf, everything suddenly fell into a hushed quiet. Was this the end of him? Surely it had to be. After a few moments, he lifted his head as he tried to catch what was left of his breath. The house had shifted back to its normal state of disarray, and the beast from the dark was gone. He let out a long breath and hugged his shoulders "...I will do as you say..." A murmur under his breath was all he could muster as he sat back on his knees. A hand came up and rubbed his cheek where Alice had kissed him. "...Oh dear..."


	9. Will you, Wont you.

The Cheshire Cat had reappeared far down the path and away from the dark goings on back at the Mad Hatters house. He still had Alice hanging from her apron strings between his large grinning teeth. She supposed she should feel something, humiliation maybe, anger at the Hatter? But to be honest she didn't really know how she felt. "I... " She poked the passing grass with the tip of her boot. "I know he's not as bad as he acts so..." She sighed and remembered her little kiss on his cheek. Touching her lips with the tip of her fingers, the girl remembered how warm it felt. "He didn't really mean to hurt me." The cat paused for a moment and then leaned down and deposited her on a nearby toadstool and took a seat in front of her. 

"Things are not always as they seem, and yet they can be if given the chance.” He said with his usual cat-like logic that only he seems to know what it means half the time. "You are not as you seem either. Not as you used to be anyway." He grinned as his tail swished. 

"He may be mad, but I don’t want to just forget about him." She had meant it. Even when he was trying to kill her there was always that thin lingering connection. Alice sighed trying to put the matter out of her head for the moment. "We should find the right drink or cake or whatever to change me back to normal size. Auntie shouldn't see me like this.” Alice didn't have very many friends and she wasn't going to give up on the only ones she did have. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

“Cats are so much more refined and civilized than people are.” The Cat said as his grin grew wider still. “You always base so much on what you see when you really should be looking instead. My words still hold fast. The Hatter cannot travel through to your world unless you will it. Use it wisely though it’s only good once." He then motioned to the fungus she was sitting on. "One side will make you bigger. The other will make you smaller." 

Alice felt relieved with the Cat's words. So it was up to her if the Hatter visited her again. Looking down at the toadstool, she knelt down and took a handful of the fleshy fungus. She remembered the Caterpillar giving her the same advice once. Taking a bite it felt a bit sweet on her tongue. Things started to look smaller, but it was only her growing back to normal. Flicking the dark hair back from her face, Alice stood up and looked down at her body. It was nice to be tall again. If the Cat hadn’t shown up when he did to rescue her, she'd probably still be little more than a mouse. "Thank you." 

"Well done. Though you may want to hold on to it. It might come in handy in the future." He said with a purr and stood up as his large earring dangled in the light. The portal to her world opened like a whirlpool of light in front of them as the feline jumped in ahead of her. Alice nodded and picked up the rest of the toadstool and stuffed it into her apron's pocket. The dark haired girl then stepped up into the portal and left Wonderland behind. She soon found herself standing in front of her dresser again in her cold white room. The Cheshire had vanished and in its place sat the small gray cat as it sat on her bed and licked its paw. From a glance, one could never tell that this was not an ordinary feline. The sun had already gone down as a few stars had emerged. Her bedtime was already passed and Alice was tired after a long day with the Hatter. And auntie could come to check on her at any time now. Reaching to her closet, she changed her clothes and got into her bed. Her rug bunny plush was in her arms; Alice quickly fell asleep.

A couple of hours had passed as the small gray cat slept on her feet above the covers when a light flooded the room for a moment. The mirror above her dresser shook a little as a green face appeared in its reflection on the wrong side. "..She’s asleep..." The Hatmaker said to himself as he stood between worlds. A strange pressure in his chest made it a bit hard to breathe as he watched her snooze. He wasn’t sure if he could go through with this. But he had to. The Naaxia already had her suspicions that he had helped Alice once. If he were ever to be found out, oh if he were to be found out. He didn’t want to even think about it! The beast’s wrath was much more severe than the Queen’s ever was. 

The Hatter knew he had to get back into that room and somehow convince Alice to return to Wonderland..and then..deliver her into the claws of that...monster. He sighed heavily and drummed his fingers in front of him as he gazed in on her sleeping form. A hand went up to his cheek for a moment. He was torn between his growing heart and his love for his own self-preservation. Part of him wished she'd turn him away; never let him come near her again. But there was another part of him that had to be near her...ever since she kissed him. He took in a deep breath and fixed his wrinkled black vest for a moment as if trying to stall. Then his gloved hand tapped lightly on his side of the looking glass. 

Her sleep was never heavy. Quite the opposite, she was able to wake up with a single sound, at least ever since the fire. Alice hated to sleep because all she saw were nightmares and bad memories she tried to forget. Her green eyes flew open, as she pushed herself on her elbows to see where the sound was coming from. When she saw the image in the mirror, she wasn't surprised... not even a bit. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she whispered quietly. "What are you doing here at this hour?" 

The Mad Hatter smiled a little placing his hand on the mirror but it remained solid. "Oh is it late? My watch must be running a day or two behind..." He coughed a bit and seemed a little shaken for some reason. "I uh...see you returned to your right size then?" 

The bunny plush was still in her arms as the girl gave him a rather cold look. He needed to apologize to her first. What he did was quite rude and he owed her an apology. "Yes, I did." She remained silent, sitting under the covers and glaring at him. The cat didn’t stir but a yellow eye opened for a few moments staring at the mirror, before closing again. 

The Hatter nodded as he scratched the top of his other hand for a moment. This was more awkward then he thought it was going to be. "Good..good good...So...Were you sleeping?" 

Alice hugged her plush tighter, crossing her arms over it. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" She raised a brow emotionlessly. "And it's rude of you to visit my bedroom at this hour. So you owe me more." She was whispering so auntie would never hear her. 

The Hatter stared at her. She wanted an apology!? His nose wrinkled a little. He never had to apologize for anything in his life. Being as mad as he was he was never expected to. But she apparently wanted one… The Hatter groused a little and was about to say something about how rude "she" had been as well when he paused. He still had to get into that room…. A somewhat fake grin came over his face as he removed his hat from his head, and spoke in the suavest voice he could muster. 

"Dear Alice. I apologize for my actions, and for this rude disturbance." He tapped on the glass as it shook slightly. "It was wrong of me. And if you no longer wish to see me, then I understand." He grinned wide and took a step back and bowed. Green eyes were closed for a second, savoring each word he said. Though she wasn’t completely sure he meant it all, it was most likely all she was going to get.

"Your apology is accepted." Leaning back against the headboard of her bed. "You may come in." She didn't want him to go away for some reason. The Hatter smiled but a glint of sadness came into his eyes as his hand pushed into the mirror as it rippled, its solid surface gave way and soon he was able to emerge completely. After a few moments, he stood up on the hardwood floor of her room once more. Alice didn't move out from her bed. She only pulled her knees to her chest, still resting her back to the headboard, hugging her plush like a little girl. Her face was finally free from the heavy, dark makeup giving her a more natural pale look. "Don't you ever sleep?" She asked curiously to the Mad Hatter. 

The clockwork man kept his eyes down as he stood near her dresser. The only light in the room was a small oil lamp near her bed that gave off just enough illumination to see his tall thin outline. It was only when the room went silent for a few moments did he look up. "Hmm?...Oh.. No..I don’t need to really." He sat back up on the dresser with his hands closed in front of him. His eyes shifted away again as he tried to fight back the knot in his stomach. But the more he thought about it the worse the knot became. 

The young woman watched the man in her room carefully. The room was dark and cold as usual, but at least she wasn't alone. The Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter were here with her. So she didn't need to worry about anything... right? "I never liked sleeping much." She squinted in the dim light to see the Hatter more clearly, Alice gave up and sighed. "I cannot see you in this dark. Why don't you come closer?" The hat maker paused and looked over his shoulder at the mirror above the dresser and abruptly turned it over on its hinge. He then stood up placing his hat back on his brow and walked towards her slowly. The upper half of his face remained in shadow but the rest of him came into the light of the oil lamp. Only his eyes could be seen and they had the reflection of deep sorrow. Alice looked up at him and tilted her head. She had never seen the Hatter with such a pathetic expression. He had the look of a puppy caught in the rain. Was he really sad, or was he faking it like he did at the end of their little fight so she'd give him more attention? Alice would never be sure about this. 

"Lost your tea?" As she spoke the clockwork man looked down at her with a start as if pulled from some thought a million miles away. 

"Oh..No..But that would be reason enough to be downhearted." That made Alice roll her eyes with annoyance. She hadn't even taken a single sip of that damned tea. In her opinion, it should taste like heaven. Maybe that’s why he never let her taste it? So stingy. But then she guessed that it was all part of the game they played, wasn’t it? The Hatter went silent once more; his hands came up to his chest as he wrung his hands. He so wanted to tell her what was happening, to warn her somehow. But the Naaxia had eyes and ears everywhere it seemed. Leaning against the post of her bed corner with his shoulder, the gear on his back making a soft ticking sound in the dark. 

Emerald eyes found his face again. Alice could be blind to many things, but she always knew when something was wrong with him at least. A great urge to ask him passed through her mind, but she couldn't do it. So she did what the March Hare would do and changed the subject. "Where are your faithful friends who never left your tea-party?" She asked out of curiosity. 

The Hatter suddenly looked like he had seen a ghost, or worse as he drew in a breath taking a seat at the end of her mattress. "We..are not on speaking terms..anymore.." After he had turned them into clockwork monsters like himself he just assumed they hated him. But when Alice saved Wonderland and all was made right, Dormy and Hare had actually forgiven him. Things were getting back to normal and he had his tea parties again with his friends. That was until she came… He could still see it in his mind mad as he was. His friends recoiling in horror as he sat by and cowered, watching as they were engulfed in fire leaving behind Hare and Dormouse shaped husks. Now he was nothing more but her servant…

Alice gave a sigh and moved towards him on the bed, pushing the covers off from herself. Perhaps his stinginess finally drove the poor Dormouse and March Hare away. Served him right. Her nightwear was plain white and fell down around her ankles. It was boring and cold. Suited her aunt's style so well. She moved until she was now sitting next to the green-skinned man, her plush in her hands. "Isn't it cold here? A cup of tea would be good." She whispered into his ear softly, trying to use her unknown charm to make him do what she wanted. 

The Hatter stared ahead for a few moments before his eyes shifted towards her. He could feel his gear skip a tine or two. Her white flowing nightgown made her look rather...pretty. He could feel her shoulder against his as he swallowed making the gaudy purple bow tie bob a little. "Yes. Rather cold...." Looking back at the overturned mirror he felt all the more wretched. "But I’m afraid I didn’t bring any with me...heh.." He said feeling a drop of sweat roll down his face, even though the room was chilled. 

Alice frowned watching him. Something was certainly wrong with her old friend. Giving her bunny plush to him, she poked his hat with a finger moving it back a little. "Are you ill?" Alice stood up and moved in front of him and leaned in close looking into the Hatter’s eyes like a doctor would. Of course not being one, she had no idea what she was looking for. “Hmmm…” An eyebrow was raised curiously as she then slapped her palm against his forehead. "You're not hot at least, so there’s no danger of a fever." 

His black-rimmed eyes widened as she looked into them, and more so when she stuffed the bunny into his hands. With his green complexion he always appeared slightly sick so how could anyone tell? But she seemed to be asking him anyway out of real concern. The same concern she showed him during the fight when her blade had hit him. And when she...she kissed him. The Hatter swallowed again and took her hands from off him and held them in a tight grip. "I.. I’m not ill.." He felt like crawling under the nearest butter dish to curl up and die. "I’m fine. R-right as rain.." He said giving her a smile, albeit a false one. "Don’t fret about me...really.." 

She looked down at their hands and huffed and pulled away from him. She snatched back her bunny and moved back to the headboard. Alice hid her body, pulling the covers up to her shoulders. She wasn't worried about him anyways! If he didn’t want to tell her what was wrong, then that was his business! The young woman looked away from the Hatter getting even more bundled up in the covers. "You changed too much." She whispered. "I don't know if I like it or not." The madman stared at her for a moment and smiled a little. 

"I am what you made me." He said and reached up taking his hat off, his dark blond hair fell almost covering his eyes. 

Alice looked up at him and then gave a small ‘humph’ before stuffing her head under her pillow. What she made, indeed! Like she would ever be responsible for creating someone like him! He was insane, rude and acted like a child most of the time! If she did he had to of sprung from some deranged and damaged corner of her mind. Even if he was her best friend! She paused as that frighting thought came to her. He was, wasn’t he? The Mad Hatter was simply someone she didn’t want to live without.

“That…that can’t be.” Alice suddenly felt her cheeks go warm. Yes, even under that cold expression, she was blushing like mad. And for what? For the Hatter? This was ridiculous. Alice was better than that. The young girl let out a small sigh and sat up bringing her knees up to her chest under the nightgown. "You are not what I made. Or I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

The madman watched her and grinned a little more. "Oh?...I think you do. Feelings aren’t easy to describe sometimes." He whispered. "But here I am. And whatever part of you that created me must have a reason for it. Haven’t you ever felt that we...." His voice trailed off a bit. "We...are..uhm.." The hat maker knew from the beginning they had a connection. But were they still connected? Or maybe she was right, maybe he had changed too much. Perhaps the corruption that twisted him before had not gone away completely. And now...he had made a deal to turn her over to that...thing. Maybe he was no better than the Naaxia?

Alice didn't even look at him, fearing he’d realize she was blushing. She wished her make-up was still on her face now, so she could cover it up. With the side of her eyes, she glanced at the Hatter. 

"Perhaps we used to have a strong bond." Her face fell and shifted into a cold and unfeeling gaze and the blush was gone. "But...I am the wrong person to answer that." She wasn't feeling anything right now, she wasn’t letting it in. Her emotions drained and she felt completely numb. "You left me alone for…so….long." Alice felt her eyelids droop slowly. She felt so tired all of a sudden as she fell back against the bed seemingly unconscious. An image came to her mind of a surreal version of her own room. But this was not an ordinary dream! The colors started to fade away and a deadly silence followed for what seemed like forever, then the scream of a creature... a big one.

"Alice!" The Hatter took her by the shoulders and shook her gently trying to rouse her when he paused hearing a sound. He gasped and looked around the room as if he too heard the scream. One last small shake and she opened her eyes slowly. The girl found herself back in her cold boring room as she looked up at his face, confused. 

"Sorry." She whispered. “I seem to be dreaming even while I am awake as of the last few days…”

The Hatter fell silent as he stared at her. So the Naaxia wasn’t satisfied with killing this poor girl on her own terms, she had to invade her dreams as well?! The same dreams Alice had once used to visit his very own tea party so long ago? No! This cannot be permitted to continue! It was then he knew what he had to do.

"Alice.." He reached over taking up one of her hands again. "You mustn’t despair...I’m here now. And as long as you want me to be I’ll remain here, with you." His words seemed steadfast but were soon followed by a small whimper since he had just signed his own death warrant. But he knew now where his place was. At her side. It was then the dresser by the wall shook as an echo of sheer hatred made the mirror ripple. He knew the Naaxia had heard him...and she was angry. But he didn’t care. If he was to die, he would die protecting the one that meant the most to him. He looked back at her and smiled. "Your nightmares are indeed frightening. But from now on I’ll be there when you sleep 'and' when you wake." He held her hands tighter. The cat sleeping on the bed grinned just a little. He knew the Hatter would come around..sooner or later.


	10. So far and yet so close.

The Hatter and Alice remained sitting on the bed as he held her hands. He knew if he so much as set one foot back in Wonderland, it would most likely be torn off by a very large, very angry beast. And yet he knew if he told Alice about his dealings with it, she may never want to speak to him again. So now he was stuck in the real world, at least for now. Alice who was still shaken slightly from the odd waking dream noticed the Hatter staring at the mirror. Most likely thinking about his hats again. Then a rather sneaky idea came into her mind as she reached up taking hold of his large bow tie and pulled him close to her face. She gave him a sweet wink and whispered against his lips. "Aren't you forgetting something?" 

The Hatter stared at her as his eyebrows raised. "...F-forgot something?" He ran a finger under his collar as his mind went blank. She was so close, his own lips started to tremble a little. "..My...tea?" Was all he managed to say as Alice raised a brow playfully. 

"Tea? Is that all you can think about?" She was breathing against his mouth; it was nice to see him this close. "No, not your cheap tea." Her arms came up and wrapped around his neck as she pulled him even closer. She wasn’t sure why she was teasing him so, perhaps just to punish him for the shrinking root incident. The stunned Hatter glanced down at the arms around him and swallowed again, not even hearing the crack about his tea. He couldn’t believe his luck. Was she going to kiss him for real this time?! His green complexion flushed to an even darker shade. The cat sleeping between them awoke and wrinkled his nose at the sight. Not wanting to be witness to this he covered his face and ears with his paws. 

"..Alice..." He said in a gruff whisper. The girl watched his priceless expressions with a wicked joy. He was kind of charming in a weird way. Running her hand through his blond hair, she pressed her lips close to his ear and made a little laughing sound. 

"You're acting shy just for me?" She purred into his ear and was rather enjoying his awkwardness. "Why?" 

"I..I’m not...It’s just..." The Hatters main gear ticked faster like an over-wound clock as he sighed. Her hands running through his mop of dark blond hair felt like heaven. The Hatter lifted his arms and held them only a few inches from her waist as if debated to return her embrace or not before they settled on her hips. A wide grin came across his face as he started to lean just a little closer. His lips were only a few fractions of an inch from hers as his dark eyelids closed. Just then they heard footsteps outside the door. Emerald eyes flew open as she jumped up to her feet. It was Auntie, checking on her! If she found a man in her room at this hour, she would be in so much trouble! And he was green on top of it! The poor Hatter hadn’t moved yet as he remained in his puckered state. His eyes opened and blinked a few times seeing the pretty face and waiting lips had disappeared! He looked around the room and saw Alice had reappeared all the way on the other side. Is she akin to the Cheshire now?

 _"Quick! We should hide you!"_ She whispered in a harsh tone and pulled the tall man by his hand, glancing around to find a place to fit him in. 

He grimaced as she pulled him to his feet. _"Hide me? Where?.."_ He did not want to go back in the mirror! Alice ran to her closet and opened the door and quickly started to push the Hatter in. But the closet was either too short or he was too tall as he abruptly banged his head on the doorframe. Though he did his best not to make a sound he still recoiled in pain and covered his mouth. "..Erk!" He looked back down at her and gave a very sour expression above his gloved hand. 

Frowning, she pulled him back from the closet she was trying to stuff him. _"Under my bed!"_ She whispered and pushed him down towards the underside of the four-poster. She could hear her auntie's hand on the doorknob as the disgruntled madman huffed back in a horse whisper.

 _"Rubbish! No dignified hatter hides under a bed! This is humiliating!"_ He winced as she pushed him. 

_"When my auntie finds us, then it shall be humiliating!"_ She whispered back in a horrified way. _"Now, get down and hide!"_ She pressed her hand onto his head and poked him with her bare toes, so he could get under the bed. The door was opened only a second after he was down, as an elderly woman dressed in an ivory dressing gown with her hair in a tight bun stepped inside slowly and silently carrying an oil lamp of her own. She was quite surprised when she saw Alice standing near her bed. 

"Awake at this hour?" Aunt Anna sighed with disappointment as she shook her head and began to make up her bed again as the covers were all over the place. Alice stood silently near the post when suddenly an object near the bed caught her attention. She forgot to hide his hat! Alice blanched as she just stood there; no words came from her, only a nod to her Aunt’s question. 

The Hatter lay under her bed with his legs tucked up and his arms folded looking quite put out. He suddenly remembered something as he reached up and felt his head..his hat!! _”...Drat...”_ He said under his breath as he peeked out from under the white bed ruffle. Anna frowned; her expression was that of a schoolmarm who was about to scold a child.

"Why aren't you in bed yet? Having those nightmares again?" A slight expression of worry flickered across her Aunt’s face like a ripple in a pond and disappeared just as quickly.

"Maybe..." Alice replied coldly, climbing up to her bed, so she was practically sitting on the Hatter now. 

"Try to sleep now." Her aunt ordered coldly. "Dreams are just silly images and nothing to concern yourself with." Alice then grabbed her bunny and stared at the woman with icy emerald eyes. That was when her aunt noticed the giant hat. "Is that yours?" She pointed at it with a look of disgust on her face as if it were something dead. Alice was a problematic young woman and her style of clothing was quite tasteless. But where did she even get that thing? It was dirty and had odd red stains mottling the white check pattern. Not to mention it was a man’s hat. Why would she even have that?

"Yes, madam." Alice reached for the hat, pressing it against her chest; feeling the man's warmth and scent once more... It felt nice. 

The Hatter winced as she sat above him, the springs making a squeak right in his ear. He was so tall he had to bring his legs up to his chest as the tips of his dress shoes stuck out from the bed frill. All he could see her aunt’s slippered feet from where he was and covered his mouth to keep silent. When Alice claimed his hat as her own however he snorted a little and elbowed the bed making her jump slightly. 

Alice felt the elbow and bounced so much she had to cover it up with a discrete hiccup. Thankfully she didn't lose her balance. 

"And do you plan to wear it?" Her auntie's tone was so cold that it could freeze the ocean in a second. An evil smirk came to Alice's face. 

"Yes, madam." She hugged the hat tighter with her bunny. Her auntie's reaction was pure anger. She tapped her foot angrily and walked closer to the bed. 

"No, you shall not!" She suddenly yelled. "I have plans for you tomorrow and I will not let you ruin everything!" She huffed with madness. "And you will not wear that ridiculous hat!" Anna quickly reached for the hat, trying to free it from Alice's grip, but she failed. Alice would never allow her to get “her” hat. The Hatter beneath the bed brought his hands up to his mouth in sheer horror! He could just feel the stitches in his already traumatized hat strain and ache on the very verge of giving way! He looked around quickly and did the only thing he could do. He hit Anna's foot with his hand.

Alice and Anna were struggling with the poor hat when she felt something hit her foot! Anna let the hat go and jumped onto Alice's bed, her eyes opened wide with fear. "Rat!!!" The Cat who was sleeping shot up as his back arched, half startled out of his remaining lives. Meanwhile, the Hatter froze with his hands over his mouth as his eyes shifted back and forth. Alice knew what rat it was who disturbed her auntie and if she found him in her room, they both would be in so much trouble! But at least Anna's attention was off of her for the moment. 

The older woman sat on the edge of the bed and poked her head down to view what was there. If she leaned over any further the Hatmaker would be found out for sure. Alice needed to stop her! 

"I was planning to wear this hat in your little tea party tomorrow, auntie!" Anna frowned again and turned towards Alice with anger scrawled all over her face. 

"No, you shall not! This party is for dignified guests! I will not have you ruining it with your folly!”

"And... and I like rats..." Alice spoke with cold words. "I feed them every day." That made Anna frown all the more. 

“Young girls do not wear men’s hats and certainly do not play with filthy rodents!” She will teach Alice how to become a lady. One day this girl would learn how to obey her rules. "I will hire someone to kill it tomorrow after the party." Anna gave a cold and nasty glare at Alice. But all Alice did was hug the old hat all the tighter. Enough was enough! Anna was so irritated that she stood up to leave the room in a hurry before she did something Alice would regret! “Rats in the house, filthy things!” She looked down at the Cat before leaving and huffed. “Some cat you are!” She said and slammed the door to the girl’s room so hard it made every painting on the wall go crooked. The Cat all but jumped out of his skin and fell to the floor abruptly losing his guise; his skinny form lay crumpled.

A few seconds later the Hatter peeked his head up over the edge of the bed as his gloved hands took hold of the sides. "..Alice?..." The girl rolled her eyes down to the floor, raising her brows in an annoyed way. 

"You may come out now, little rat. Auntie's gone." She settled herself under the covers once more. The Hatter's eyes scanned the room to make sure she was really gone when he got to his feet and fixed his ruffled vest. 

"Imagine. That woman calling "me" a rat!" The Cat sat up and shook the cobwebs out of his mind from his little fall. Hearing the remark he grinned wide looking up at the tall clockwork man. 

"Maybe she meant to call you "The Mad Ratter"?" He grinned even more and vanished, just as the Hatter gave the floor the cat had recently occupied a sour look.

"..Emaciated pest..." He huffed and looked down at Alice and frowned sitting on the bed once more. "Are you alright..?" Crossing one hand over the other on his knees he blinked down at her with concern. 

A thoughtful smile came over Alice's face. "I've been stabbed by the Red Queen's card soldiers. Auntie’s words don't even compare with them." It was then Alice moved away from him and placed her head onto the soft pillow. "I need to rest a bit." She said hugging the bunny and the hat again. The Hatter tilted his head watching her. Outside the full moon had peeked out from behind the clouds letting in a shaft of silver light right down over her like a blanket. She looked so beautiful lying there. He remained there frozen for a few moments as his eyes closed halfway. A rather blissful looking smile moved across his face, as the main gear on his back seemed to tick a little faster. "Will you stay here with me?" She asked him and closed her eyes.

"..Hmm?" He noticed he was starring again as he shook himself alert. The gear on his back slowed back to normal as he tried to fix his tie to cover it up. "Oh Yes! Surely I will. Yes.." He looked back at the mirror. "Since I can’t..I mean..I do not wish to go back so soon..." She gave a sleepy smile, relaxing in her comfortable bed. Thinking he would probably not leave anyway until he had his hat back. She slowly patted the available space beside her, inviting him to join her. The Hatter grinned and dusted off his shoulder, a sly look came into his eyes. "Well…I suppose since it’s the _only_ bed available..heh.." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and was about get in when the Cat reappeared right in front of him. The Hat maker’s long arms swiftly grabbed the two front posts just in time to come nose to nose with the Cheshire. The Cat grinned wide as the Hatter got a whiff of the worst case of gingivitis ever to befall a living creature as he held his breath. 

"You want to remain that’s fine. But you can sit there.." The Cat purred and pointed to the chair next to her bed with a claw. "And in the morning you will have to hide. The attic should suit 'you' fine..." 

The Hatter raised a brow looking quite put out. "Attic indeed!" He said in a rough whisper. "Why must I hide along with all the other forgotten things?" 

The Cat just grinned back at him never missing a beat. "You can’t be seen, and since you do not wish to go back it is where you must go. Forgotten things and all."

"This is most undignified! Alice! Tell this mangy mousetrap I do not have to…Alice?" His face went blank as his long front teeth remained on the outside of his lips. Alice wasn't even hearing any of what they were saying. She was fast asleep again. But she somehow looked more peaceful than before. Maybe it was because her friends were in her room, waiting there, protecting her from everything. The Hatter winced to see she was still clinging to his hat, and most likely creasing the daylights out of it as he sighed. He gave one more death stare at the Cat before taking a seat in the leather chair next to her bed and folded his arms in a big huff. His long legs reached all the way to her bedposts as he grunted making his blond bangs fly up. The Cat just stared back at him before settling down next to Alice on her covers. His bony body and thin hair were not at all pleasant to pet but he’d shift back to his other form in the morning. The Hatter just sulked as he crossed one leg over the other, his foot waving back and forth in irritation. Imagine the nerve! Being shoved up in the attic like a broken clock! Glancing over at her and the feline a rather evil idea crept into his head. Did her Aunt mention something about a ..tea party?


	11. We’re all mad here.

It was a bright shiny day and the weather was perfect for a tea party. Anna was happy that her guests arrived on time and she had a little surprise for the young lady Alice. Earlier that day Anna forced Alice to wear a pretty yellow dress with frilly skirts and brushed her hair for her a hundred times over to make her look even more beautiful. A yellow ribbon, which matched her dress, was now on her head. No dark make-up such as Alice desired had been allowed today. Of course, Alice wasn't happy about this situation. She wasn’t looking at all like herself and she was miserable. But pleasing Anna was the only way she could stay out of that damned asylum. So she needed to do as her aunt wished such as serving tea to her snooty aristocratic guests. 

Alice sighed as she returned to the kitchen to retrieve more tea and cucumber sandwiches, horrible tasting as they were. When she returned outside she was forced to sit next to her aunt with her back straight and her hands on her lap. The only time she was acknowledged was if it were to go and fetch something for her or her friends. While all this was going on in the garden, the Cat had also had his own problems as he spent the entire morning making sure the clockwork madman was kept occupied. Now safe and secure up in the attic and keeping himself busy the cat could return to his real charge, Alice. At least all the old hats up there would entertain the Hatter for a short while. 

Cheshire kept on his feet most of the time and close to the young woman. He knew how she hated her aunt’s tea parties. But the day wouldn’t last forever and then she could return to her room. For now, however, even the Cat was already bored with the entire situation. It was then time to serve the cake. Alice just assumed she was Aunt Anna's maid as well as her niece. Sighing to herself she retrieved the plates and set them at each place setting and sliced the cake, all the time staring at the thin slender silver knife in her hand. Anna was smiling happily as she watched her. Alice was actually behaving for once and today her tiny world would be changed ever so perfectly. Anna had invited a special someone to this tea party as a light knock came to the garden gate. Quickly rising to her feet she went to greet this special guest, Anna turned her gaze towards Alice as she opened the gate wide on its hinge.

"Alice, I have someone here to see you." Anna moved aside as she opened the gate to reveal a young dapper looking man that stood just outside. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt and black tie. He had dark blue eyes and a rather handsome young face. Holding a wide brim straw hat in his hand along with a modest bouquet of flowers kept behind his back. His dark hair was slicked back and he matched Alice in age. 

"Alice?..." He said and smiled at her as he took a step inside. "You most likely don’t remember me.." He said in a quiet voice. "My Uncle Duckworth used to live next door to your family. We met when we were children. It’s me. Simon?" He blushed a bit. "Oh..here.." He stammered a little and handed her the flowers. Alice didn’t remember much before the fire that destroyed not only her family but her life. But upon seeing him she did recall a few summers of playing with a young boy near the pond between their two properties. But the memories were washed out like a chalk drawing in the rain, faded and unrecognizable. 

"Yes, I do remember you," Alice said flatly. Something felt off, suspicious. Why would her aunt invite him and why call him “special”? Raising a brow she accepted the flowers after a few moments of hesitation.

Anna was watching the scene with a smile on her face. Two childhood friends meeting again after such tragedy and then finding love. The scene was almost a page out of a romance novel and she would be its author. It was perfect. The only thing that didn’t suit this romance novel page, however, was Alice. She was no ordinary girl. She was never interested in romance before and aside from the few close calls with the Hatter she’s never even had a real kiss. 

Simon smiled at her. She was indeed just as pretty as he remembered. He just couldn’t believe she was institutionalized for so long. She looked perfectly fine and nowhere near like the people he had heard of that came out of such places. Looking down at the straw hat in his hands he managed to squeak out. "Yes. I guess I did grow up a lot since last we met. You look..beautiful.." He glanced up at her as his face turned even redder. 

Alice remembered when the Mad Hatter blushed in this way. Or at least a darker green at any rate. But why Simon was blushing now was a mystery to her. Was something wrong with her look? Was it the yellow dress? Yellow was such an awful color on her. After a long moment of awkward silence, the girl was able to give Simon a small smile, mostly just to stop his staring. "It’s…It's nice to see you again. There isn't much left of my old life. So please excuse me if I don’t recall it all." Anna looked on and raised a brow and hoped Alice wouldn't ruin things as she always did. But contrary to what Anna thought everything seemed to be going well. Except for one small flaw. Far above them, a gloved hand took hold of the window sill in the attic as a tall dark figure stared down at the goings-on below. A pair of dark rimmed yellow eyes narrowed bitterly as the hand on the sill gripped so hard it made the wood crack and almost splinter. 

"Yes. I heard about the tragedy with your parents and sister. I am deeply sorry." Simon said and reached over patting her hand. The Hatter sneered even more and released the sill; the woodwork having been compressed flat under his grip. This will not do…Not do at all.

"I don’t believe this!!" He growled pacing back and forth along the attic floor. "That cur! How dare he bust in here like that! And in that cheaply made hat yet!" He huffed as the Cat reappeared next to him; his grin remained fixed as his eyes followed the Hatter’s stride.

"You will need to keep it down. Do you want to be discovered?" The Hatter just glared at him as the Cat grinned all the more. "You’re going to bust your main spring..." He said with a purr.

"Don’t bother me you feline lint ball." The Hatter sneered as he walked up and down the aisle in the middle of the attic. One hand was behind his back as he rubbed his chin with the other. The pacing didn’t help much since his long legs only allowed him three or four steps before he had to turn around. "I must find a way to rid this house of that..that...lout! For Alice’s sake…." 

“For Alice’s sake indeed.” The Cat said as his yellow eyes rolled slightly. 

The Hatter grunted as he kicked a large streamer truck over causing a pile of clothes to roll out along the floor along with an old black top hat. The madman paused and stared down at them as a rather evil idea crept into his clockwork-addled mind.

Alice was now giving Simon her famous innocent smile. It was the same fake look she used to give the doctors, orderlies, and nurses back at the Asylum. And she was an expert at fooling them into thinking everything was all right. "Please have a sit. I'll be back after finding a proper vase for the flowers." Anna nodded and excused her with a bit of happiness. At least Alice was acting somewhat normal now. She was finally learning how to be a real lady. A few minutes later, Alice returned and sat next to Simon and talked to him about the past for quite a few moments. He used to be a good friend. It seems he didn't change too much after all. Alice looked at her Aunt out of the corner of her eyes and noticed Anna's were on her all the time. Meaning she had to behave..for now. Simon was happy to see her again too. He remembered how imaginative she was in her youth. Always coming up with such wild stories about faraway places and strange creatures. Everyone else thought she was a bit off, but Simon loved to hear about her imaginary adventures. He smiled more and scooted a little closer to her. 

The afternoon was progressing splendidly but was abruptly interrupted when a knock came to the front door. A rather tall slender shadow fell over front walkway as a man stood patiently and waited for it to be answered. A silver teapot headed cane tapped once again the doorframe. Alice sighed and stood up, leaving Simon and the tea party to answer the door. Simon was probably the best thing at this silly tea-party. When she opened the door, however, she was caught completely off guard. That was something new. Emerald eyes were widened as she looked up at a familiar person's face. How... how dare he?? The Hatter stood at the door in an old tux he "borrowed" from the attic. The trousers were a little too short for him but he managed to make a few modifications to the hem. The black coat covered his torn shirt and concealed his main gear well. It even complimented his vest and purple tie. The black top hat he found was on his head and he managed to write up a 10/6 tag for it out of habit as it sat in its brim ribbon. The usual blond mop of hair had been combed back, all and all he looked somewhat normal. Aside from the green complexion he almost passed for human. The Hatter spun the teapot cane in his hand and tipped his hat at Alice. 

"Well hello there! I do hope I’m not late.." Adrenaline invaded her veins as the girl waited until she could catch her breath before moving. What was he trying to do? Send her back to the asylum!? Well... then he was certainly on the right way to go about it. She suddenly tried to close the door on his face but Aunt Anna was too quick and stopped her before she managed to shove the tall man out completely. 

"Who is it, Alice?" She smiled angrily at the girl thinking she was being rude to a late guest. But when she saw the unfamiliar face of the tall blonde man in the door, the older woman raised a brow and looked at him carefully. She smiled politely, but her face showed her true feelings. Who was this man? 

The Hatter grinned down at Alice and then stepped inside turning towards Anna. "Ahh you must be Alice's Aunt Anna? I’ve heard so much about you.." He took her hand and made himself kiss the top of her fingers. She had a rather leathery feel to her skin. Sort of like the alligator leather he used to make some of his more expensive hats. "I do hope I’m not interrupting too badly? Alice invited me you see." He paused a moment before continuing. "I am her uh..doctor..from the….Asylum!" The madman smiled pleasantly and placed a hand on Alice’s shoulder and pulled her closer. "I have been worried about her so..." To show he meant it he reached into his pocket and pulled out a hanky, and dabbed the corner of an eye before stuffing it back into place. Alice gasped when she heard what he just called himself. Her doctor!? This was beyond humiliating! 

Anna's facial expression went from fake-caring to curiosity. "Oh, I see. Of course, you're welcome to come in. What you did for her in the asylum is appreciated." Anna smiled brightly as she offered to take his hat but he quickly refused. 

"I’ll keep it thanks. It isn’t mine..." The Hatter said casually as Anna nodded and then gave him an odd look. 

"It isn’t yo-...Well..of course, it isn’t..." She tried to smile at the rather strange comment. She had heard some of these psychiatrists’ types were a little eccentric in of themselves. Walking ahead of Alice she showed this doctor of hers out to the garden. "We should talk, sir." The elderly woman said in a whisper up to the tall man. "She has been acting quite strange lately. I heard back in the Asylum she had been in a coma. Poor girl. We would not want that again. Perhaps she needs medication?" 

The Hatter leaned in to hear her as he nodded in agreement. Yes, when Alice was in a coma things were quite bad in Wonderland. He did not want a repeat of that. But what was so wrong about acting strange? He’s been strange all his existence and there was nothing wrong with that as far as he was concerned. He shrugged a little and glanced back at Alice with a smile and leaned towards Anna. "Don’t worry Madame. I’ll see what I can do for her." He whispered and gave the furious girl a rather sly grin. 

Simon with his straw hat in his hands waited for Alive to return. When they came out into the garden he immediately became suspicious of the newcomer. Her aunt announced him as her doctor. But he seemed awfully sickly to be a doctor what with the green skin and all….

The Hatter was going to ruin everything! What could he be thinking?! Alice had to find some way to get rid of him and explain to Aunt Anna just why her 'doctor' had to run out suddenly. Anna led him to a seat at the table, when Alice took her place beside Simon once more. She had hoped the Hatter wouldn't humiliate her further.

"So Doctor uh. Oh dear, I am afraid I don’t remember you giving your name?" Anna asked curiously to the blond doctor. 

The Hatter took a seat at the tea party nudging himself between two of Anna’s guests and smiled crossing one leg over the other. But when he caught a glimpse of Alice sitting next to that poor excuse of a male he sneered a little as his nose wrinkled. But he was distracted from his target by Aunt Anna’s question as he looked at her with a start. "..Name? Oh right uh...Doctor uh..." He then slowly grinned as yet another idea came to his mind. "Atter! Doctor H. Atter..." He smiled wide at the obvious pun of his own name. The Cat had reappeared in his housecat guise next to Alice's feet just shook his head. He really should have locked the attic door.

Alice felt like she was in a cold sweat. This was getting even more ridiculous. "You... you try to ignore him," Alice whispered silently to Simon. "He's quite a strange man. He probably lost his mind during his own time at the asylum." She said almost nervously as she glared little Vorpal blades at her so-called doctor. Simon looked over at her and smiled a little trying to be polite. He knew sometimes the doctors would go mad themselves. But this man..he looked beyond mad. He was very suspicious looking indeed. Simon wasn’t completely convinced he was who he said he was. 

Anna nodded at the doctor's answer. "Nice to meet you, Doctor Atter." Then she moved closer to him and nudged his arm with her elbow and nodded in Alice's direction. "Look at her doctor. Isn’t she pretty in her new dress? And doesn't she look cute sitting next to Simon?" She smiled sweetly at the image as she whispered to him. 

The 'Doctor' leaned in towards Anna and then drew his gaze to the couple. He narrowed an eye and just huffed a little. He had to put a stop to this right now. _'That little runt of a man couldn’t possibly be a match for me!'_ He thought as he looked back at Anna. "..You know. It might be a little too early for Alice to get close to anyone in such a way. It may cause a relapse!" He said with a little edge to his voice before standing up. “Alice my dear. It’s been so long. How about we take a stroll uh..in the garden. Just to speak about old times?" He smiled and offered his arm to her.

Anna's eyes were widened. " But... but..." She only gasped, but then placed a finger to her chin. “Well...Maybe they can stay engaged for a few weeks or so first.” She said under her breath still believing that a relationship would make Alice a better person. That and the Duckworth family was not only well off but had a lot of influence and prestige. It would be a win for all involved. The poor girl had no idea what was going on or her aunt's plans for her, then she found the Mad Hatter asking her for privacy. She quickly shook her head, protesting, not wanting to leave, especially with him! But Anna wouldn't let her act so rude to her former doctor in such a way.

"Go on, Alice. Talk to your doctor. He's here for your own good." Auntie spoke between her clenched teeth with controlled anger. That wasn't giving Alice much choice, so she sighed and stood up. Being reminded of her time in the asylum was certainly no fun at all as she grabbed the Hatters arm, digging her nails into him as he winced a little. The Hatter smiled down at Alice until he heard Anna's last whisper. _Engaged?!?!_ Over his rusted gears! He held back the urge to gag as Alice all but dragged him out into the garden. Simon watched and stood up as she pulled him away. He decided he had to learn more about this doctor of hers as he bowed to Anna and followed them keeping his distance.


	12. And thick and fast they came at last.

The Hatter had no other choice but to follow after the Alice out to the garden of the estate. She had to keep him away from her auntie and her tea party at all costs. If Anna knew the truth... well, Alice didn't want to think about that. Giving cold and angry glares at the tall blond man on the way, she remained silent. She wasn't going to play his silly games anymore. 

The Hatter was yanked far into the garden as she hid him behind a large row of hedges and topiary. She dropped his hand with a hearty shove before turning to face him and folding her arms glaring vorpal blades at him. 

"Alright. Now you can thank me." The Hatter said and gave a smug grin as he fixed his tie and smoothed the wrinkles out of his borrowed attire. 

"..Thank you for humiliating me in auntie's tea-party?" Alice said as raised a brow angrily. 

"No. Thank me for saving you from having to marry such a boorish man, in a very bad hat." The Hatter grinned and tapped a finger on her nose thinking himself quite the hero. 

Alice's anger came in the form of a loud sigh. "Do your ears hear what your mouth is saying, “Dr. Atter?" She frowned. "I'm not listening to your insane random ideas!" Moving her face away from his hand, she looked up with a great coldness. "Simon is an old friend of mine and I'm not marrying him!" Was the Hatter acting jealous? Would he really go so far as to make up stories and risk getting her into this much trouble for petty jealousy?

The clockwork man grunted. "That’s not what your Aunt thinks. She told me herself. She plans on having you wed that "friend" of yours. It’s a good thing I happened by or this would be your wedding shower!" He said leaning over slightly to be more into her line of sight.

Little did they know Simon had walked into the garden and saw that they had gone further into the lanes of hedges and followed. Something was very off about this so called doctor…

"You're lying!" Alice shook her head violently. He wasn't telling the truth! That couldn't be right! She yelled and reared back her arms pushing him away as hard as she could! "I'm not marrying anyone!" 

The tall madman almost fell into the shrubbery behind him as he used to cane to catch himself. He frowned and stood back up getting rather angry. "What?! Why in the name of Earl Gray would I lie about this? It’s the truth!" He growled looming over her. 

Alice crossed her arms again, turning her face away from him. "I think you're only here to humiliate me." If he was trying to send her back to the asylum, then he was on the right path. But anger and threats would get her nowhere. They would just end up fighting again and this time her aunts garden would be the casualty. Destroying her roses would indeed earn Alice another six-hour lecture. In light of that possibility, the asylum would be preferable. So she would need to use another strategy. One she was sure the Hatter could not handle. After a moment her expression had changed. Wearing an almost nice smile, the young woman looked at the Hatter in a charming way. "So all you want is to save me, right?" She stepped towards him, keeping her smile and using her newest weapon: seduction. "Is that what you aim for?" She took another step, now standing right in front of the tall man. Placing a hand firmly on his chest, she looked up sweetly. "You want to be my hero?" 

The tall man blinked down at her and placed a finger to his mouth for a moment. He then smiled and could feel his face start to warm again as he nodded. "Of course. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell ..uh...you.." He said feeling the steam under his collar rising, literally. 

"Now I understand." She purred, loving every moment she made him nervous like this. "I'm sorry for blaming you for auntie's faults." She ran her hand up to his shoulder, circling her fingertips, then grabbing his necktie, pulling him down to get closer to his face. "You really are sweet.” She paused loving the expression of confusion on his face and noticing the beads of perspiration. “Are you sweating?" She smiled devilishly and charmingly in the same time. Oh, the Mad Hatter was such a fun toy to play with. 

The Hatter was tugged down and was now eye to eye with her as he gulped a little. She was indeed making him sweat as small puffs of white smoke wafted from the pipes jutting out from his elbow joints. He grinned and moved closer himself. "Well..you know...I do look out for you and all...heh. Uh..I’m not s-sweating..its..its..steam…"

"You're shy." She smirked evilly, but her beauty was able to mask any trace of her evilness. Placing a hand on the back of his neck, she touched his cheek with her other hand. "That's quite cute." She moved her face closer to his face, so her words were being whispered to his lips softly. "You don't need to be worried about anything, my rude green skinned hat obsessed man." She winked playfully. "You know what my heart wants." She controlled herself not to laugh. Stroking his dark blond hair like she was petting a cat, Alice raised a brow and watched the Hatter's facial expressions. That was quite fun. 

The green madman felt his throat go dry as he swallowed. Why was she acting this way all of a sudden? But then it occurred to him..Who cares! He smiled more as a long arm caught her around her waist and pulled her closer. "Do I now?" He said trying to overcome his apprehension and leaned in all the more. "And what does your heart want?" 

Alice's reply was a smirk... an evil one. "I think you know it already." She whispered against his lips, and then placed a soft and little kiss right beside his mouth. Feeling a bit weird inside, she then pressed her lips against his, feeling her cheeks flush. But this was only a game, right? It wasn't even serious. Right? After a moment of denial, she then wrapped her arms around the man's neck pulling herself up on her toes.

The Madman’s eyes winded as he teetered forward a little. He never expected her to kiss him for real. "Hmhhp?.......Mmmmm..." His yellow eyes rolled back and the lids closed. Two long spindly arms wrapped around her waist as one trailed up her back to caress her head. Was this really happening? All he could do was mutter incoherently. 

His lips certainly tasted like tea and honey. He was sweet and hot. Annoying and yet desirable at the same time. And she couldn't help but want to kiss him more... and more... As the Hatter kissed her back, Alice felt even weirder. If this was supposed to be only a game and nothing more. Then why was she still kissing him..? When she was finally out of breath, the young woman pulled away. Now mere inches from that large nose her arms were wrapped tight around his neck. She could feel her face flush and her lips slightly swollen, now it was she who was sweating. 

The Hatter felt her break away and stared into those green pools of rippling water. A smile came over his face and he could feel the gear on his back speed up and almost threaten to sheer away at the jacket he was wearing to conceal it. But just as he was about to kiss her once more a hand grabbed his arm pulling him by force away from her. 

Emerald eyes widened in shock as the Hatter was pulled away almost making her topple over! It was Simon and... and did he just see them kissing?!

"Alice!" Simon yelled as the younger man was furious and stepped between them. "Doctor Atter! This is no way to treat a patient under your care! What kind of doctor are you?!" He growled shaking a fist at the poor addled hat maker. 

"You are getting rather irritating..." Was all he said as he huffed down at the much shorter man.

Alice quickly grabbed Simon's arm and tried to pull him away. "Simon, stop it! It's not what it seems!" She was breathing harshly, still tasting the Hatter's tea on her lips. 

Simon turned and took hold of her arm pushing her back. "Alice don’t protect him! He must be making you say those things! Just stay back and I’ll take care of him!" He then looked back at the Hatter. "You're a sick man! Preying on someone who is so vulnerable!" The young man sneered removing a white glove from his pocket and abruptly slapped the Hatter across the face!

The hat maker rubbed his cheek as his face went blank followed by even a little tinge of sadness. "What was that for..?” 

Alice just watched and didn't know what to do at this point. She knew what that gesture meant even if the Hatter did not and knew the outcome was not going to be pretty. "You don’t know what you're doing, Simon stop it! And I'm not a vulnerable person!" She frowned. Everyone was thinking she had either lost her mind, or she was some helpless damsel in distress that needed saving. She was neither and she was going to make them see that!

The Hatter narrowed his yellow eyes. Did he wish to fight? If so, then he knew that he had more than enough firepower to take out this “boy” in one stroke. Literally. He had rockets. But then he’d have to explain the blood and singed hedges to her Aunt…. And Alice would most likely be upset at him for a while. Plus right now they were having tea and he was missing it!

Simon growled and rolled up his sleeves gripping his hands into fists as he bounced on his toes. "Come on then! Have at you!" 

The Hatter just stared at him. Wait..what was happening right now? Was he expected to fight this man child with his bare hands? Who fights with just their hands? He just stood there staring at Simon in mild shock. "You must be joking….”

Alice gasped. "Simon, tell me you're joking." She certainly didn't want them fighting each other. Because she knew Simon would be the one losing. She quickly stood in between them. "This needs to end, now."

"Yes. Now be a good lad and toddle off and play somewhere." The hat maker said waving Simon off like he was a child who interrupted the grown ups. Simon glared at him and sneered all the more. 

"No..He dares insult your honor in your own home, and is preying upon you for your affections! I should report you to the Asylum and have you fired you charlatan!" 

The Hatter smirked and just muttered under his breath. "...Yes indeed. By all means, try that.." Alice threw a deadly glance at the Hatter. He was crossing the line and she didn't want Anna to hear any of this. 

"Simon, let's just go inside. Auntie made a really good chocolate cake." The poor girl tried to find a way to distract him. 

The taller man nodded. "Sounds good to me.." Taking Alice by the arm and started to lead her past the furious young man. But that seemed to be the last straw. 

"Take your hands off of her!" Simon growled and reared back a fist and proceeded to throw a punch aimed right at the so called doctors face! But miscalculating his height all he managed to do was create a loud clang as his fist bounced off of the Hatter’s chest as he recoiled in pain!

The Hatter paused feeling nothing but the vibrations from the impact as he raised a brow. It was as if Simon were trying to duel a steam engine. "Well, that was rather foolish.” 

Alice needed to stop this madness. But no one was listening to her. "Is anyone hearing me? Or should I just go back to the asylum for some peace?" She crossed her arms and watched them both. 

The Hatter looked down at her. "Well don’t blame me. I didn’t lay a finger on him." He shrugged as Simon stood up holding his crumpled hand. 

"..Who...W-What are you?" He frowned deeply now thinking he wasn’t just a fake of a doctor..but maybe not even human. 

Alice was clueless about what to do. This was supposed to be only game between her and the Hatter. Just a way to teach him a lesson for making up stories. But she ended up forgetting what she was aiming for, and it became so much more. She had melted into the Hatter's kiss when all she wanted was to play with him and then leaving him empty handed. But now this was getting serious. If anyone finds out about him it would be disastrous for them both! Sighing loudly, she grabbed Simon's arm and pulled him away. "You'll end up breaking your knuckles, Simon." She wasn't sure how to explain this to him. Meanwhile, Simon kept staring at the tall green man. He wasn’t sure what he had hit, but it wasn’t flesh. 

The Hat maker walked behind them and just smirked to himself. He not only won a duel but he got a sweet kiss from Alice as well. So far it had been a good day. Just then his pocket watch started to chime six as he opened it. The day just got better! 

"Tea time!!" He grinned even wider as his other love called and the tall man ran past Simon and Alice towards the house!


	13. How fine you look when dressed in rage.

It was true to everyone in Wonderland that the mad hat-maker was obsessed with tea, but now it seems his endless tea party has landed right in the middle of her aunt’s home. She wondered if real-world tea tasted anything like Wonderland tea. Perhaps it would make the party guests grow or maybe even shrink? "Let's go, Simon. They are waiting for us." She sighed and kept dragging a confused Simon into the estate. 

Anna had been waiting for them at the tea table along with the other guests. The Mad Hatter a.k.a “Doctor Atter” was already seated and making himself very at home and preparing his own cup of tea. Aunt Anna gave a fake nice smile to Alice when they finally showed up. 

"Alice... Simon... Please take a seat." She motioned to two large chairs beside each other on her left. Anna was hoping the tea party would be a good excuse to get these childhood sweethearts together once more. She herself had always had this image of a young blossoming romance that started just so, even if she never had one herself. 

Alice did as auntie requested, dragging poor Simon with her. The young man kept his hand close to his chest as he flexed his fingers. It still hurt, like he had just punched a brick wall. Could the good Doctor be wearing armor? No, he was much too thin. No armor plating would cover him and still be concealed by mere clothing. Perhaps chain mail? But why would anyone wear that to a tea party? And would that make a clang? He looked down at Alice and frowned as he leaned closer and whispered to her. "Who is he?..." 

Alice could feel she was starting to sweat because of Simon's curiosity towards the Hatter. He was asking just too much and she had no believable answers. "I... Would you like to have a piece of cake, Simon?" She tried to move his attention off of the Wonderland visitor. 

Simon rubbed his hand and gave her an odd look. Was he really her doctor? He would have to learn more as he just nodded at her. "Yes...The cake would be fine..." He said as an awkward silence filled the room. 

"So tell me, doctor. Is she doing well?" Anna said trying to break the tension as she poured some tea into her own cup.

The Hatter so engrossed in what he was doing barely heard her question. "Hmm? Oh yes, she’s fine. Cream please!" He grinned wide staring down at his teacup as if it were made of solid gold.

Anna nodded and fetched the cream. "It's quite nice to hear such a thing from you, Doctor Atter. She may be a good girl sometimes." Then she raised a brow. "But not often." Anna watched the two youngsters whispering together as she smiled to herself. It was working! But she had to make sure as a sly smile crept across her aging features. "It seems that your little patient has a tiny crush on you, Doctor. I’ve heard that can be quite common you know. Patients falling in love with their doctors and so on. Isn’t that right, Doctor Atter?" She chuckled and offered him some small cupcakes that were sitting on a silver platter.

Alice was trying to get into a conversation with Simon, but her emerald eyes kept throwing quick death glares at the Hatter. She couldn't believe that she really kissed him! The thought was enough to bring a blush to her pale cheeks. When Anna spoke, however, she perked up staring at her Aunt, unmoving. Had she seen them somehow back in the garden?! Her eyes narrowed at the Hatter once more as her glare could burn a hole through the sun itself. 

The madman took a small sip of his tea and almost coughed as he looked at Anna. "I beg your pardon?" He grinned a little and remembered the kiss. "...Does she now?" The Hatter just had to give Alice the best smug look he could possibly muster. But Alice’s reaction made him withdraw like a snail back into its shell as he ducked down under his hat.

Anna almost laughed, but she only gave a very fake chuckle seeing Alice’s face. "Oh, Alice dear. I was only joking. You always take things so seriously. No offense, doctor, but I believe Alice will be marrying another quite soon." Taking a sip of her tea, Anna looked at Simon with proud eyes. "He's a real gentleman. He’s known Alice for years and is probably the only one who can stand her ehm _weird_ behaviors." 

"Oh?...Is that right?..." The Hatter said, his voice wavering between anger and disappointment. He looked over at Simon as their eyes met creating sparks of hatred between them. 

Simon smiled a little and glanced at Alice. It seems that news struck quite a nerve with the good doctor. Perhaps there was more between Atter and Alice then he originally thought. Either way, he would be the one to end it! "Well...I haven’t asked her yet. But it is a strong possibility..."

Emerald eyes were widened when she heard the conversation. It was as if she wasn’t in the room at all! "WHAT?!" She exploded, her anger rising like a steam as if she were made of clockwork as well! “I..I can’t..!" She frowned and threw a deadly glance at her aunt. "I cannot believe you're deciding something without even asking me!" She slammed her fists on the table, making every plate and cup jump. 

Anna's eyes were showing her pure anger as well. "Calm down, young lady!" She spoke between her teeth. "This is why we all gathered here! To talk about your future!"

The Hatter suddenly stood up. "Clean cup!" He yelled and all but yanked Anna out of her seat and pushed her around the table. "Move down! Move down!" He grinned a little to himself, what better way to stop this dreadful conversation than with a nice clean place setting? As Anna was shoved down she also bumped into Alice and Simon as they too were pushed to a new space, as well as all of the other guests. Anna was about to have a heart attack as the tall man pushed her around the table.

"I c-could bring you a new cup?" That was all she could say. 

Alice was caught off guard once more. The Hatter was acting like he was back in Wonderland again. She didn't know what to do... Should she laugh or cry? In the end, she did neither. She just crossed her arms coldly and leaned back in her new seat silently. She didn't want to speak anymore... The girl could only sulk in her own cold way, what was the point?

The Hatter sat down again in a brand new seat. "Oh, pish-posh there’s no need to trouble yourself, dear." He patted Anna’s hand as he glared over at Simon out of the corner of his eyes. He had to get rid of him ..somehow. Perhaps a trip through the looking glass would be a good idea. Hatter thought, his yellow eyes giving off a small glint of evil. Yes. Maybe a local pack of Jabberspawn would like an easy meal?

Simon was finally able to sit down after being shoved so rudely and fixed his ruffled shirt. "...Vulgar..." He muttered to himself. He had no idea what that man, who he was now convinced was a raving lunatic was up too. But he was obviously very disturbed. Perhaps the tales of doctors going mad in their own Asylums really were true? But after a moment he looked over at Alice. She had yet to say anything about the commotion just a moment ago. Surely she would have had her own grievances about the doctor’s actions. But she just sat there like an unmoving porcelain doll. He also observed that she was starting to look quite pale. "..Alice? Are you alright?"

Alice didn't answer him. She was only staring at her clean cup with cold emerald eyes. No one was listening to her anyway. She wasn't even looking at the Hatter anymore. She took a deep breath and replied to Simon in a quiet monotone voice. "Don't worry, Simon. I’m fine"

The Hatter stared at the young girl when her state of being was called to attention. Alice was upset and that wasn’t good as he stood up and nodded at Anna. "I think young Alice needs to have a lie-down. Especially over such "great" news..." He sneered at Simon and walked over to Alice taking her hand. "Come along dear." He smiled a little and pulled her towards the stairs. The young woman didn't give any visible reactions to being pulled. She was being treated like a ghost so she may as well act like one. Letting herself get dragged upstairs, she didn't say a word. Anna watched them with a worried expression on her face. Then she slowly turned her attention back to her other guests.

Simon just growled watching them. He didn’t want her to be alone in that state with that perverted maniac. He excused himself and followed them up the stairs slowly.

The Hatter pulled Alice her into her room and closed the door behind him. "Alright, I have a plan. We toss him in the nearest mirror, forget about him, and go back for some nice tea." He nodded rubbing his hands together. But Alice wasn't even listening to him anymore. She sat on her bed, then her eyes began to close. Her head fell forward a little as the world around her started to get blurred and fuzzy. She could feel herself growing cold as her breath came out in small white puffs. The shapes of the objects in her room started to change. The colors began to run like wet paint. The bedspread she was sitting on was being bleached out as the pattern dripped off only to vanish the moment the droplets hit the floorboards. 

Downstairs the Anna was smiling brightly despite the altercation with Alice a moment ago. Happily, she placed a hand on the ivory cameo broach she always wore on her collar. She ran her fingers over it as the mother of pearl iridescence shimmered in the light.

The Hatter paused when he saw the room start to change. "Alice...?" Glancing down he could see the colors running onto the floor around his feet. A wave of panic came over him as he turned with a start towards the bed. Alice had gone into another trance! He had to snap her out of it immediately! "Alice!" He kneeled down by her taking her hands in his. "Nonono! You can’t do this! Don’t let it win..please..." The Hatter’s eyes darted back and forth and he did the only thing that might bring her back. He leaned in quickly and kissed her once more! 

Alice didn't react for the kiss. She didn't kiss him back. The truth was she didn't even know he was kissing her. Now falling down into a blank and stark nightmare, she could only feel a wave of coldness.

"What a nice cameo you have, Ms. Anna." Said one of the guests. The older woman nodded with a huge smile. "It's as precious to me as my little Alice." She said as a shimmer of light flickered across its surface.

The young woman would have been lost for good..but could feel her lips were burning. The feeling invaded her throat, then her whole body. When she opened her eyes all she saw was... the Mad Hatter? Pushing him away out of reflex, she panted harshly, trying to catch her breath. The Hatter held her at arm’s length as he stared at her. The room had shifted back to normal almost in an instant. "You’re back! Oh, thank all that is poured into teacups! I feared I had lost you that time..." His long arms then pulled her close wrapping around her.

Simon meanwhile had crept to the top of the stairs trying to stay as quiet as possible. Seeing her door was shut he stood next to it and bent over slightly. He just had to know what was going on in there. That doctor of hers. He was sure there was something very wrong with him. Simon pressed his ear to the door and squinted trying to hear the conversation inside. What they were saying wasn’t making any sense at all. Don’t let it win? What on earth was he talking about? He was just about to find out when something brushed against his leg. Peering down he noticed a small gray cat rubbing in and out around his legs near his feet. "..Shoo...Shoo..." He whispered harshly waving a hand at it before turning his attention back to the door. But the feline kept up its annoying actions as the frustrated young man stood up to tried to shove it away with his boot. The cat, however, parried his move and dashed under his foot making him trip and fall backward. Simon landed with a soft thud on the hallway runner carpet."...Ow.." He winced trying not to yell, for fear Alice would hear him eavesdropping.

Slowly he sat up on his elbows and peeked an eye open, only to gasp as the cat was now sitting on his chest looking at him. He stared back and soon realized that he must be hallucinating! The cat's face seemed very queer. Was it grinning? Simon slowly sat back until just his head was tilted forward. The cat's shadow on the wall became blurred and smoky as it pulled and stretched. It now looked like some sort of nightmarish creature as it sat there, emaciated and skinny with its rib cage showing through its dry hide. A large gold earring hung from its torn ear and it was covered in strange markings. Simon stared at it in horror as it opened its mouth. 

"You should be more careful. You might’ve gotten hurt...." It said and grinned even wider showing off two rows of yellowish gray teeth. 

The poor Man just sat there mouth agape and then in a burst of fear he sat up pushing the cat off! As fast as he could, he crawled on his hands and knees in a great hurry to the nearest broom closet and shut the door with a slam! After a few moments of silence, he opened the door peeking through it to see if what he saw was real. The cat sat in front of her door, its long skinny scraggy tail with a tuft of meager fur on the end swished back and forth. It turned its head towards him, it’s thin neck making a sickening dry cracking sound much like old leather and gave him a wink. Simon went pale and shut the door again in one swift movement.

Alice gave a deep sigh, she felt safe in the blond man's arms. But wait... What exactly was he doing? Were they just kissing again? Then why didn't she remember how it started? Placing her hands on his shoulders, she whispered with curiosity. "What were you doing?" Her mind was still a little foggy. What was it she did just a moment before? All she could remember was anger. Anger at Anna, Anger at Simon, and especially anger towards the Mad Hatter! All of them were to blame. All they cared about was themselves! What about what she wanted? All she could remember was how she was feeling... And all she wanted now was some relief...or was it revenge? And the closest one to her now was... him. Her lips twitched into an evil smirk. "Do you want to do it again?" She was blinded by her madness, but was the Hatter able to see that? To put it bluntly, no.

The Hatter opens his eyes and looked at her. "..You...Want to kiss again?" He grinned wide. "R-really? You mean you’re no longer angry with me?" He said staring at her. 

Alice smirked even more evilly now. Flicking the hair strand away from her eyes, she stroked the blond man's cheek and nodding innocently. "How can I be angry at you?" In truth, she was angry at every single thing in her life. That, of course, included the Hatter himself. "Didn't you like it before?" She purred against his lips seductively. 

The Hatter shivered and nodded quickly. "Uh huh...." He looked her right in the eyes as his pale yellow ones sparkled. "..I liked it...It was...it was almost better than tea.." He said as he exhaled.

"Close your eyes." She whispered softly against his lips. "You'll like this one better." She continued smirking in her twisted way but seemed so innocent. Her emerald eyes were slowly turning red, the hand on his cheek began growing long sharp claws. The Hatter closed his eyes slowly and leaned closer and puckered his lips once more. To lost in his own daydream to notice the rage building up in Alice. Two long horns had already emerged from the sides of her head and curled around in a spiral just above her ears. Alice smiled as a pair of spider-like legs reached over her shoulders and caressed the back of the Hatters neck as he grinned all the more. She slowly slipped a hand into one of the pockets of her apron looking for something very special as the unwary Hatter waited silently for his kiss. A clawed hand suddenly stuffed a cube of white mushroom right into the Hatter's mouth. 

"Hmmph?" The Hatter drew back with a start and swallowed something odd as he coughed. "A-Alice? What was th-..." He blinked as the room suddenly seemed to expand around him, or was he shrinking? 

"...Oh dear...."


	14. Every adventure requires a first step.

"How does it feel to be this small?" The demonic girl watched the blond man shrinking on her bed with an evil smile on her face. "Do you like it, you little beetle?" A clawed hand picked up the little Hatter lifting him to her eye level. Her bright crimson eyes were shining playfully.

The Hatter blinked. "..Alice?..." He grinned a bit nervous in her grasp. "D-did I do something to make you angry, m-my little peach blossom?" He said trying to act charming though it wasn’t working even a bit. 

"Flowery words are unnecessary, my love." She purred as her sharp nails were piercing the back of his vest making holes in the fabric. Her thumb poked his hat and made it fall from his head. "I have plans for you." She was going to make him pay for the little incident back at his cottage for sure. "I’m going to enjoy this." She patted his blond hair with a finger, then poked his chest.

The Hatter winced as she poked his head with a sharp claw. He then gasped as his new top hat fell off, to him what looked like miles to the floor. "MY HA-Ow!.Ow!...ech! Ow!" He looked up at her as beads of sweat formed on his brow. "B-but my dear Alice..uh..don’t you -OW!- remember? The kiss we shared?..." He grinned sheepishly and he managed to squirm a shoulder free and placed his arm upon her hand. "..Did that mean nothing?"

"Oh, 'that' kiss? That kiss was..." It was her first kiss and now she wasn't able to forget it. "Let's find another way to have fun, little green frog." The next thing she did was stuff the poor Hatter into the pocket of her apron.

The pocket squirmed a bit as his head popped out. "uhh. Alice? Don’t you think this has gone on long en-frog?" Hatter grimaced up at her. "Oh, I am going to ..do...something..to get you back for that!" 

The red skinned woman bent down and picked up the teeny black top hat in her hand. Odd how it was so small yet she could see the handwritten tag still in its brim. She grinned sharp fangs and walked to the nightstand and searched for a certain thing. "Missing something, sweetheart?" She kept her evil smirk on her face and squished the little hat between her fingers. Now it was no longer usable. Then she reached for some dolls from the drawer which her aunt gave her. "I never loved dolls when I was little, but now... I think this will be fun." She quickly started to undress a doll with a green frilly dress.

The Hatters face went pale as he looked at the dress and then up to her. "....You wouldn’t....?" The tiny hat maker gulped and then ducked down inside the pocket. "This is no way to treat a friend!"

"Friends?!” She growled as a demonic echo in her voice overcame her for a moment. “Good friends offer each other tea! And they surely do not embarrass one another at tea parties!" She huffed and took the Hatter from her pocket, then started to unbutton his vest carefully.

The Hatter struggled and then looked down at his vest and blushed. "A-Alice?...Can’t we talk this over?!" He then grinned a little. "You know if you wanted me to undress before, you could have just asked.." 

The red-eyed girl raised a brow and removed his vest completely. "Oh, don’t worry. You’ll like this look even better." She motioned to the green Victorian-style dolly dress that was certainly elegant. "Will you wear your new dress for me?" She said with a rather sadistic look in her red glowing eyes.

"N-no.." He quickly struggled and disappeared down into her closed hand. "Youll regret it if you don’t let me go!"

Alice huffed again. "You're too small to say something like that." She suddenly looked even more playful. "I'll do it myself then." And with that, the girl in rage opened her palm as the teeny madman sat in the middle. She then started to unbutton his shirt. He was going to pay for acting crazy in front of her aunt! She was curious. Was he man, or still machine or some of each? From what she saw during the fight back at his house, she wasn’t sure where the clockwork ended and her friend began. Perhaps..just perhaps..she also wanted to see a little more of him ever since that kiss.

The Hatter gulped and closed his shirt with both hands. "You don’t want to do that!!" He poked at her fingers trying to push them away as he bit his lower lip. "C-can’t we discuss this!? I mean when you got small I didn’t do anything to you! .....Not that I didn’t think about it..." He muttered under his breath

Alice raised a brow. "Oh, why wouldn't I want to do that, you little green man?" She smiled sweetly. "Are you getting embarrassed with me yet again?" She was now even more curious. What was he hiding she wondered as she pulled at his shirt again.

"Alice no!" The Hatter frowned as he bit his lower lip. "I hate to do this to you, Love....But!" He lifted his hand as it separated into its existing halves as the gun barrel extended. He then sharply poked her finger with the sight at the end! The very tall girl in demon guise flinched in pain and dropped him. The dormouse sized Mad Hatter then fell hitting her shoe and slid across the floor on his behind. "Oww!" 

“That hurt!” Alice gasped sucking the blood on her cut finger. “How dare you do such a thing to me?!" She raged stomping her foot on the floor just barely missing the Hatter!

The Hatter stood up and hid quickly behind her ankle. "Sorry! Sorry!...But trust me, Alice. There are some things in this world... _and the next_... you’re better off not seeing..." He said pulling his shirt back up over a few exposed gears and stitched green flesh. As her gigantic heel moved away the Hatter made a rapid dash for the bed hiding behind its leg!

Alice sighed and began to tire of this game she looked down at the floor trying to find him. Now he really did resemble a rat! Anna could call her at any time and she didn't want to leave him here like this. Kneeling down to take a look under her bed her hand patted the floor. Her anger was fading away, the horns were disappearing. "Get out here." Her eyes were emerald green once more. "I didn't mean to hurt you." She said still looking for him under the sheets and bedspread frills. "Well...maybe a bit." Maybe more than a bit. But not in a bad way. All she wanted to do was make him feel a bit of humility.

The Hatter slid around the curve of the large wooden bed leg. "..Didn’t mean to? Rubbish! I’m not coming out till you say you're sorry..." Now it was her turn to apologize!

The young woman who was now back to normal again sat on her knees and sighed. She needed to find him now before Aunt Anna does. "I'm not saying that." She shook her head and leaned over her bed to give another try to find him. "You should be the one apologizing."

"Me!? Why in Wonderland should I!? I came here to warn you about your marriage to that ..bad haircut, bad hat wearing imbecile! ..Some gratitude..." A small voice squeaked. 

The dark haired girl shook her head angrily. "You lied to auntie and told everyone that you were my doctor back in the asylum! Then you picked a fight with Simon! That's not really helping, Hatter!" She looked as if she were having an argument with bedpost as her hand leaned under the frill, searching for the Hatter blindly. 

The Hat Maker ducked just before a large finger touched him. "And what would you have me do? Say. “Hello, I’m from Wonderland. You know? That place your niece goes to when she jumps into the mirror?" He snorted. "I hardly see her swallowing that. I don’t myself sometimes. As far as that Simon child is concerned? It was hardly a fight and “He” started it..."

Alice grunted to herself, there was no sense in arguing with this madman. It was then she heard auntie's voice calling for her. The girl had no other choice but to go back downstairs. This day was getting even worse; she didn't know how it could get worse at this point. "You stay here, I'll be back shortly. Then we can find a way to turn you back to normal....perhaps." She stood up and headed towards the door. "Just stay away from the door. I don't want to step on you accidentally."

The Hatter blanched a bit as he peeked his head out from under the bed a little. "What?! You can’t leave me here like this!! ..Alice!" He grimaced watching her walk away and then saw his now squished hat lying on the floor hundreds of "feet" from himself. "....Oh, bugger..."

Still watching the broom closet with his ever-present unwavering grin on his face, the Cheshire cracked his head backwards to gaze at Alice as she emerged from her room, his spine making a dry snapping sound and he was now looking at her upside down. His huge grin now looking like a huge frown. "Something amiss?" The Cat purred unaware of the Hatters predicament

"Keep an eye on him," Alice ordered the cat. He was free to toy with the Hatter. Alice wouldn't mind that. If he was going to act like a rat he should at least be treated like one. 

The Cat blinked as his head cracked forward once again, his vertebrae making a popping sound. "..Eye on him?" The Cat then stood up turned and padded back into her room and sat in the center casually swishing his tail. Where was the Hatter? The Cat felt something under his foot as he lifted his paw. He sniffed at a teeny flattened hat just lying there. The large feline swiveled his ears back and forth before spotting a miniature Hatter hiding under the bed. He stared at him and suddenly his face twisted into an even more surreal grin. The small green man's face turned pale. 

"....Oh, bugger all the more..."

Running down the stairs, the young woman found her aunt waiting for her in the kitchen. The older woman was drumming her long fingers on the table.” You know you're upsetting me deeply, Alice." She started her speech. "All I expected from the start was a well-behaved, well-mannered girl. But what I got was your usual nonsense. Simon comes from a wealthy home where he can provide for your…needs.” She said rubbing her temples. “You could not act like a good girl for one afternoon?”

"I'm not the good girl you want me to be, auntie. May I have a cup of tea, now? "Alice huffed and crossed her arms. 

Anna shook her head and looked quite angry at Alice's carefree mind. "Not until you apologize to Simon. I think you hurt him enough." 

The dark haired girl raised a brow. Why did everyone want her to apologize today? What did she do wrong? Was she too blind to see that? There was absolutely nothing she should be sorry for! "No, auntie. I don't see a reason too." 

Anna frowned madly as she locked her gaze on Alice's emerald eyes. "You're going to find him now, young lady. And you're going to apologize!" She spoke between her teeth.

Meanwhile, Simon was slowly peeking his head out of the closet. He just had to see what was going on in this madhouse! Alice had gone into her room with that man, but she was the only one that had come out. And that weird cat...He slowly crept out from the closet and pushed the door to her room open. He stopped seeing her strange cat under the bed playing with something as he walked around it carefully. Was it sick? Did it really speak or was it just his mind playing tricks? Simon paused seeing something on the floor. He leaned down picking up what looked like a miniature top hat. It resembled what that mad doctor was wearing in every detail only it looked like it was meant for a doll. But how did it get here, and where was he?

Anna was growing more impatient with each moment her fingertips reached for the ivory cameo on her collar as her cold eyes looked deeper into the emerald ones. "If you don't say you’re sorry to him now, you'll regret it later. You may even lose him." She spoke softly this time. When there was no answer coming from the girl, Anna closed her eyes for a while and sighed. It was at that same moment in time when the looking glass in Alice's room started to glow and blur as a dark aura filled the bedroom. "You're the only reason everyone gets hurt, Alice. Remember that." The mirror started to give way as a huge claw appeared and reached straight into reality. Its curve found its way around Simon's waist. Anna opened her eyes and looked at Alice with a cold stare. The huge claw then grabbed startled boy and quickly dragged him into the portal and vanished.

The Cat looked over his shoulder just as the poor lad was pulled away. The emaciated creature stood in shock as his jaw fell open. The shrunken Hatter fell out and took hold of the two lower canine teeth to stop himself as he gasped for air. "Will you stop that? I can’t breathe in there!" He coughed a bit and stared as he saw a red claw pulling Simon away. "My but that looks very much like the Naaxi-Gah!" He quickly climbed back into the Cat’s mouth and shut his jaws with a snap! Then talking in a muffled voice from within. "Don't let her find me!!"

Alice remained silent. She had no idea how to defend herself from Anna's venomous verbal barbs. But if auntie wanted to blame her for nothing and everything, then so be it. Alice didn't want to go back to the asylum. So she would keep her mouth shut this time. It was then Anna stood up clasping her hands in front of her, clearly done with Alice for the time being. "I will go and tell the visitors the tea-party is over." Anna stood and walked to the door. "And you should find Simon." Then the older woman disappeared from the girl’s sight. Alice had no other choice now. She buried her feelings once more and went upstairs to find where he really was. The young woman searched every room in the big cold estate. But Simon was nowhere to be found. Could he be in her bedroom? Oh no! What if he found the little Hatter? That would be impossible to explain! She quickly ran into her room and stood at the door, breathing harshly. But there was no sign of him or the Hatter! But the cat was still there, and he was looking a little sick.

The Cheshire did indeed feel ill as he wrinkled his nose and leaned forward. The Hatter fell from his mouth and skidded along the floor till he came to a stop at her feet. "Bleck! Don’t you ever bathe....?" He said wiping his muzzle with a paw.

The young woman knelt down and picked the tiny Hatter from the floor, then she raised a brow. "Have you seen Simon? Did you happen to do anything to him, my sweet green Hatter?" She shook him threateningly. "You did something bad, didn't you?"

“Don’t you ever brush?!” The Hatter wheezed from the smell of decaying tuna and felt his gear rattle a little in between her fingers. Looking up at Alice he seemed confused. "Me? N-now what could I have possibly done to your boorish beau from this size?" He folded his arms as his feet dangled. "Bite his ankles?" 

Alice raised the other brow now. "Oh, so you are innocent like a baby bird." She forced a laugh. "Alright then." She thought about a reward just to make him talk. "I'll turn you back to your normal size if you answer me properly." She smirked. "Maybe we can think about another kiss then." She winked, almost looking evil.

The Hatter stared at her, the idea of a kiss was very appealing! But then he’d have to tell her about Simon or worse! Tell her “what” took him into the mirror! "...I.....d-don’t know..." He said biting his lower lip. 

The Cat sighed and shook his head. "...Tell her..." He looked up at them both.

The Hatter cast a glare at the Cat and then back up to Alice. He could feel sweat pouring down his face. "..H-he’s talking nothing but nonsense!..heh...hehe.." 

The young woman's curiosity was growing. Now she was sure the Mad Hatter was hiding something from her. Lifting his chin up with the tip of her finger gently, she looked at him with huge emerald eyes. "You know you can tell me." She spoke softly. For some reason, he seemed scared, perhaps even terrified. But of what? Surely he knew she meant no real harm to him, even in her rage form. 

The poor Hatter stared up at her. His secret was no longer his anymore. "..He...He...is in the mirror...H-He’s in Wonderland..." Hatter sighed glancing towards the floor so very far away. 

The words stabbed into her mind sharper than knives. Her eyes were widened with the shock and fear. "H-how?!" She gasped. "Did he walk into the mirror himself?" Her mind raced at a thousand miles a minute. How did he find out about Wonderland? Was he as curious as she was?

The Hatter frowned deeply. "No...No..Only you can enter on your own...he was uh...he.."

The Cat huffed. "He was taken..." He said as his tail swished; the Hatter giving him a dreadful glare.

Her lips were opened with a nameless fear. "Taken?" She wasn't sure what was happening. It seemed like the Cheshire knew much more than he let on. "By who?" She asked curiously as no names came to her mind. The Red Queen was no longer alive. So there couldn't be any danger from someone that’s dead. Who would want to kidnap someone who didn't even know about their realm?

The Hatter grinned nervously. "Does it matter? I mean he’s gone! Y-you should be happy! Now you won’t have to marry him...Heh..." He smiled with his eyes shut trying to make her see the silver lining.

The Cat sighed. "By a creature that now lives in Wonderland. Have a care, Alice. It is far more dangerous than anything you’ve encountered before. I must agree with the Hatter. Forget him..."

"No!" Her answer came without even thinking. There was no reason to even consider forgetting about him. She wasn't going to leave Simon like that. "He's my friend! I cannot let anyone or anything harm him!" She frowned and left the Hatter standing on her nightstand. "I don't care who this creature might be. I’m going to find Simon!" Closing the door of her bedroom, the dark-haired girl glanced at the Hatter and the cat. "Would you leave me like this, if I was in trouble?"

The Hatter poked his fingers together. He had to go with her despite what lay ahead for him in the mirror. He had to stay with her...protect her. Even if at the moment he was only three inches tall. "...Then...I will go too." 

The Cat even though grinning knew the endgame was coming and swished his tail. "...Don’t be afraid.."

The girl nodded and turned towards the mirror. "I'm not afraid." Then she picked the Hatter from the nightstand and carefully tucked him back in her apron pocket. "I’ve lost too many people in my life. I don't want to lose anymore." She didn't ask the Cat if he was coming. If he felt inclined, surely she’d see him in Wonderland. His advice though helpful at times could be rather cryptic and utterly useless. She reached out for the mirror and after a moment she and the small hat maker vanished from sight.


	15. The proper order of things.

When Alice stepped onto the once green grass of the Wonderland, her yellow dress was gone, replaced by her favorite blue dress with a white pinafore. The usual dark eye make-up she wore appeared from nowhere, along with the silver necklace around her neck. She was feeling a bit uneasy and confused. Instead of the bright and colorful world, she was used to, the air was heavy and foggy. A strange mist was covering everything like a blanket. As they entered the woods everything was so very quiet. Not a bandersnatch or momerath to be heard and this was their mating season too. The trees around her were a pale green and seem to be fading more and more as dead leaves fluttered to the ground. Strange for a place that never sees a fall or winter. It was almost as if something had poisoned the trees. Many questions were circling inside her head, but no answers were coming. So she silently followed the path towards the Hatter's cottage.

The teeny Hatter poked his head up out of the pocket of her apron. He was feeling very nervous about going back home. The Naaxia could be anywhere, and now she was expecting them! He ducked down so only his large nose and eyes could be seen over the pocket. "A-Alice do we really need to do this? Simon is a smart lad, right? Can he not make it home on his own?"

Alice rolled her eyes slightly. "I guess that means you know where he is now?" She looked down at the tiny figure in her apron. "Will you help me or should I not bother to find the right ingredient to return you to your normal size?" She raised a brow. 

The madman whined a little. Even though he hated being such a minuscule size. It was better than being turned into a toothpick by the Naaxia. "It’s not a matter of normal. It’s a matter of living to see tomorrow..." He muttered softly and swallowed rather hard. "But..I will help you find him...if you insist...." 

"Death isn't what I fear." She whispered. "It is welcomed, if necessary." As they proceeded farther she could remember what this land looked like upon her return. The Hatter's fortress had consumed most of the Tulgy woods where they were now, and all of Looking Glass Land. But after she defeated the Queen of Hearts, the world she had broken had been fixed and the woods had returned to their former glory. Only now, everything was somehow so silent. As if all the life had been leeched away. "It won't change my mind. I will find Simon." 

The small hat maker glanced up at her.."...Alice?...If we do find him. Are you going to one day....m-marry him?"

Alice broke her stride and looked away to hide her eyes sadly when his question came. "I..." She suddenly looked even more unhappy. "I don't want to." She sighed, didn't know what else to say.

The Hatter perked up a little. She didn’t? That was great! Then maybe he could...He paused as his face fell a little. When she learns the truth, what will become of them? Would she even want to see him again? He sighed letting his arms hang down out of the pocket as they walked deeper into the Tulgy woods, towards the heart of Looking Glass Land. 

Alice stopped right beside the crossroads to the Hatter's house, glancing around tiredly. Tapping the Hatter's tiny chest behind her apron fabric, Alice looked down at him after a deep breath. "I'm searching blindly. I need your help." She said softly, emerald eyes were even softer. "Where is he now?"

The Hatter looked up at her..."I..I don’t.." He sighed and decided, no more lies. "He's..in the Pale Realm. You do remember that place?" He looked up at her. "It isn’t far..yet very far.." 

Placing the tip of her index finger against the Hatter's tiny chin, she patted it like she was petting a cat. Maybe it was a 'thank you' in her own way. "Yes, I do." It was strangely beautiful and yet such a deadly place even now. A land of living chess pieces that play out their game of strategy over and over. Red against White. Even when the Queen of Hearts took over Wonderland, their own personal battle never wavered. With her thumb, she gently stroked the back of his head, his blond hair felt so soft. "Maybe I just shouldn’t marry anyone." She stated while walking toward the path to the Pale Realm. She had no idea what was waiting for her there, and if it made a madman this afraid. Then it must be something bad…

The Hatter felt her fingers playing over his face and then his hair. So delicate even at this size. She could crush him and yet her fingers didn’t hurt at all as he sighed with a smile. He then looked up at her and felt a bit awkward. "W-why not? I think if you found the right bloke..." Clearing his throat. "Perhaps?" He said as if hoping she would say the name of a certain hat maker. 

Alice bound her hands behind her back with a flushed expression on her face, hoping he wouldn’t see her like this. "Perhaps." She smiled nervously, it was then Alice's boot hit something hard lying in the grass making her stumble. What could she have tripped over? When she stopped and knelt beside the path, she could recognize the familiar shape of a pawn lying on its back. But it was broken... crushed. The chess pieces were always at war, but they never broke each other. What was going on here, and what was this poor pawn doing so far from its home? 

The pawn’s one large eye stared blankly into space. Its body looked worn and weathered just like the Hatter’s teapots and cups. But the grass around it was still short. So it couldn’t have been laying there for long. Just then ahead of her, a bush shook as what looked like the head of a horse appeared between the leaves. Then a hollow clop was heard as an ivory horse-headed knight jumped and landed in the middle of the path blocking their way. Its form was in profile as it scanned the area searching for the pawn even though it was dead. It held a shield in one arm and a broken sword in the other as its nostrils flared. The Hatter blinked in relief. "Ahh good! A white knight." He looked up at her. "For a moment there I thought we were in for..." The horse turned sharply and looked right at them as the Hatter gasped in shock. The entire right side of its face had been broken off. He winced as they both could see straight through the eye socket to the rocky path behind it. It sneered aggressively and began to growl. The Hatter gulped as he ducked back down into the pocket. "..trouble.."

Alice's eyes widened in shock. Something was very wrong. It stands to reason that they were always in conflict, but to go as far as to kill each other? What could the reason be? She got to her feet again and stood her ground refusing to run. "Mr. Knight. I need your help." She asked in a calm soothing way so the enraged Knight wouldn’t mistake them for an enemy. "Can you tell me what's going on here? Did you kill this pawn?"

The Knight grunted as its breath came out in hot blasts of steam through his nose; it took another clop towards them. It bared its teeth staring at her with the one remaining pale blue eye behind the dented helmet. The Hatter ducked down a little more. "Alice..I don’t think he wants to chat!" With every clop the Knight made, a crumble of dust or another crack would appear on its body. Almost as if it were fighting just to stay in one piece. 

For some reason, Alice couldn't believe a White Knight was going to attack her. They used to be friends a long time ago. Even after Wonderland went completely insane the white end of the chessboard was still on her side. It was something to cling too when everyone else was against her. So why? "Please, Mr. Knight. Do you know what's happening? Have you seen someone strange around here?" 

The Knight reared back its sword and jumped even closer looking as if it were about to attack at any moment. The Hatter couldn’t explain it. Had the White army turned against Alice this time around? It was then his attention was drawn to the base of the Knight. The rest of its body was ivory, but the base... was red. It was as if the color was draining into the ground like it was being washed away. The more the color leaked out the weaker the chess piece became. Unable or unwilling to answer her it kept approaching as each movement caused it to break even more. "...Alice...Look..." He pointed down at its base.

When she saw the red base, Alice finally stopped holding her breath. Was it white or red? What was doing such a thing to it? "Hatter?" She called to the tiny man in her pocket in a whisper. "Is there any way I could help it?" She shivered a bit, feeling fear running through her veins. Many things were wrong here... very wrong.

The Hatter frowned, it was so pathetic he couldn’t help but feel sorry for it. But in the end, there was nothing that could be done. He saw the same thing happen to his friends the Hare and Dormouse. He lowered his head and sighed. "Aside from putting it out of its misery? I’m afraid nothing can be done..." The Knight got within range and swung his sword at her weakly. Its arm abruptly cracked off at the shoulder as it fell to the ground with a thud. Its whole body shook and rattled as the armor flaked off like old plaster. The horse head made a gruff yelp as it fell over like lifeless furniture and lay on its side. The red now completely drained from its body.

Alice watched him dying with an unbelieving expression on her face. She couldn't handle watching her friends falling to pieces again. She didn't want to leave the poor knight here like this, but there was nothing she could do. Maybe it could be saved again. Walking past it, she followed the checkered path leading to the gates of the Pale Realm; her eyes were getting watery. But she kept it inside. 

The Hatter frowned a little as he too felt sorrow for a fellow denizen of Wonderland. "I am sorry Alice. When I left, things were not this bad." Ahead of them, he heard voices as he flinched. "Someone’s coming!"

Wiping the coming tears with the back of her hand, she suddenly perked up and then ran to a square-shaped stone to hide behind. She knelt down and peeked out at who was coming. "Is this why you left Wonderland and started to stay with me?"

The Hatmaker looked up at her and bit his lower lip. "In a manner of speaking. Yes.." Ahead of them, a tall figure clopped its way down the path. Another Chess Piece? Whoever it was, was wearing a tall crown on her head and a long hoop dress that merged with a solid base at the bottom. The entire creature was bathed in red. The Hatter couldn’t believe it. The Red Queen! Unlike the Queen of Hearts, the Red Queen was not evil. But she was rather mad just like her counterpart the White Queen. They were sisters, sisters who would be happy one moment and at each other’s throats the next. The Queen of Hearts annexed the Red Queen and was thought to have beheaded her so she could rule in her place. Using all of the Red Realm as her own personal army while the Pale Realm suffered in her wake. 

As Alice and the Hatter watched, the leader of the red chess pieces seemed to be running for her life. "Oh dear! Oh dearie me!" 

Alice stared with wide eyes. "Maybe I should talk to her? She may know something I don't." The young woman whispered to the Hatter. But she was red! Would she attack her like the knight tried to do? 

The Red Queen stopped near the stone Alice was hiding behind to catch her breath, when she looked behind her in terror. "..No..No!..Go back! Don’t you hear me?! I am your Queen!" She screamed as two half drained red pawns bounced towards, their single eyes glowing.

The Hatter looked up at Alice. "She might. But it doesn’t look like we will get the chance to ask.."

Alice raised a brow curiously. "Red pawns are attacking their queen?" She frowned and already jumped away from the stone, then drawing her Vorpal blade. "You little traitors, get away from her!" The Red Queen was quite mad most of the time but she didn’t deserve this! "What kind of pawns attack their own queen?!" 

The Hatter gripped the pocket even harder..".....Alice?!" He then ducked down inside the apron for safety. After all what else could he do? At this size, even his teapot rockets would just bounce off of them like pebbles. The Red Queen looked over at the strange girl and stared as the two renegade pawns paused in mid-hop. They seemed confused at first before turning to each other making loud obnoxious squeaking noises. They seemed to be discussing what move to make next when they both turned and began to jump towards Alice rapidly! Their large bulbous eyes were filled with hate and pain and were way beyond any hint of reason from Alice or their Queen.

"Get away, you crazed game pieces!" Alice warned them for the last time. But they didn't stop. So they gave her no choice but to defend herself. She could feel the green-skinned man hiding in her apron. It felt very reassuring to carry her friend this close into battle. She used to be all alone before. It felt warm... even though he wasn't helping her at all. Alice threw her blade repeatedly at the pawns. Each time it reappeared in her hand strangely, so she could go on and on. The dark haired girl continued until they both were nothing but shards. Their bodies seemed worn down and brittle just like everything else in Wonderland. She stood over their broken forms as the scene felt oddly reminiscent. Perhaps it was better this way. They wouldn’t have to share the same slow fate as their Knight. She then turned toward the covering creature by the stone. "Are you okay?" Alice ran towards the Red Queen.

The tall half-woman half-statue held her hands over her eyes as she shook with fear. She then peeked out through her fingers down at Alice. "No! Don’t check me please!" She said waving her hand at her. "No one listens to me anymore! Pawns moving too many spaces! My Knights won’t protect me! All my Rooks ran away!" She sobbed and jumped one space back from Alice. 

The Hatter just huffed as he popped up out of her pocket like a jack in the box. "Some queen she is..."

"Hush, you little frog." Alice poked the Hatter's head into her pocket again, and then followed after the Red Queen. "I have a few questions to ask." It was then she heard something moving behind her. Before she could look back to check who that was, the image of another queen appeared. She hopped right out of the bushes and jumped full steam towards them! This one looked exactly like the Red Queen only she was bathed in alabaster white. 

"We are certainly late for our tea-party!" The White Queen yelled and was holding her skirts up a bit to move faster. "Hurry up, hurry up!" She said sternly taking her sisters hand and pulled her along. 

The Red Queen suddenly forgot her terror and kept pace right along with her. "Oh yes, indeed we can’t be late!" 

Alice stood there in slight surprise before she decided to run after them. Gladly they didn't see any other mad pawns around.

"Hmph!!" The Hatter bleated in a muffled voice as he popped back up rubbing the bump on his head from her huge fingers. "And people have to the gall to say that I have a short attention span?" Alice smiled a little down at him as the two lead her to a very large garden with checkered grass. On the lawn was a large checkered table with a full tea set laid out and the two queens already sitting around it.

"Looks like we have a guest." The White raised a not so friendly brow as Alice approached. "Only queens are invited my dear, and I know for a fact that you are not one!" She huffed with a snobby tone in her voice.

The Red Queen, that Alice had just saved from certain death had begun to prepare her own tea and nodded in agreement with her sister. "Yes, Dearie. Only Queens are allowed." 

Alice shook her head. "I may not be a queen, but I do want some answers." She said taking a seat between them. The table looked very much like the Hatter's never-ending tea party. But everything resembled a Chess Board. Every item. Every teacup, saucer, and napkin were checkered, even the sugar cubes. Picking up a cube she stared at it. Black was a strange color for sugar, thought Alice. 

The Hatter grunted at the two of them harshly. "Do you two not know who this is!? It’s Alice! The one who saved Wonderland "and" the Pale and Red Realms?" He folded his arms over the edge of the pocket looking rather annoyed. Alice looked down with wide emerald eyes at the Hatter when he tried to make them realize who she was. But they both seemed far to distracted to stay focused.

The Red Queen paused and looked over at the teeny figure in Alice’s pocket and squinted before taking out a small pair of glasses. "Oh, my dear look! Isn’t that the Hatter? The very same creature that was working for that dreadful Queen of Hearts?" The White Queen gasped as she too leaned over to take notice. With a sudden quick movement, the White Queen reached for the green man in Alice's pocket snatching him away!

"Oh my, oh my... This is really he!" Now they started to act like Alice wasn't even there. So the dark-haired girl sat on the last empty seat and reached for an empty teacup. The White Queen picked up the tiny Hatter and brought him up to her eye level, looking at him very carefully. "Did he shrink, or was he always this tiny?" She poked the poor man's legs a bit. "He looks like a toy!" 

The Hatter just folded his arms as his feet dangled."....Ladies...." 

Alice was busy with pouring herself a cup of tea. They could play with the Hatter as long as her questions were answered. Well... She personally wanted to play with him too. But it wasn't the time now. Maybe after they bring Simon back….

The Red Queen giggled. "Oh my yes a toy! And he has no hat? Whoever heard of a hatter with no hat at all?" She laughed more poking at him as well.

"..Ladies...." 

The Red Queen continued. "He’s not so threatening now is he?" She giggled more as the small man in the White Queen’s grip fumed. 

"LADIES!" This made the Red and White Queen yelp and fall silent. The two of them looked at each other in shock for a long moment but then their expressions changed simultaneously. The White Queen suddenly dropped him as he fell into Alice's teacup. Alice just stared at the blond man, making a sour face before placing the cup on the table. Well, she couldn't drink it anymore. The Hatter came to the surface and bobbed a little gasping for air and winced as the two tall forms loomed over him. 

"Hmph! Very rude as always!" Yelled the White Queen. "Perhaps I should punish you Hatter for your Queens actions!"

The tall red chess piece stood up pointing at him. "Yes! Yes! She not only took over my army and my land but she had me imprisoned! Threatening to turn me into one of your Automatons!" She tapped his head with her scepter. 

The Hatter rubbed his head after getting thumped and grinned nervously. He had to think fast to charm his way out of some severe upcoming bodily harm. "W-well...You see Ladies. I wasn’t really myself you see. And I know that two very ...attractive...women such as yourselves. Wouldn’t harm a man for transgressions done while he was ill?" He looked over at Alice for some help.

The White Queen leaned over even closer. "Yes, you should pay for it nice and slow. You are the reason I was killed once. I may be a chess piece, but it did hurt after all!" 

Alice didn't help him at all until she had prepared yet another cup of tea. "Don't you have a new threat in Pale Realm now?" The young girl finally spoke. "If you could tell me about this new person, I may be able help you." Both the Red and White Queens paused looking over at her as the White Queen snapped!

"Are you behind this new war, Hatter!?" She screamed picking up the teacup he was in and shook it harshly, making the poor clockwork man swirl around and around. She then dropped the cup as it sloshed over spilling the tea and the Hatter. 

The Mad Hatter sat up soaked to the bone with cold tea as he coughed. "...In a giant teacup. My wildest dream...And I couldn’t even enjoy it." Alice smiled and took a teaspoon and scooped up her friend placing him on the edge of her own cup.

The Red Queen was starting to grow angry. "Yes! The new threat! Your pieces started this! You and this Hatter!" She said yelling at her at the top of her lungs and turned towards the White Queen.

Her sister blinked at her for a moment. "Mine! It is you and your miserable red pieces that are at fault!!" She growled as the two locked hands around each other’s necks, pushing back and forth until they shoved each other onto the tea table. 

The Hatter chuckled and rung the tea out of his sleeve. "Heh, Odd isn’t it? In chess, the white pieces have to move first. But then the red attack thinking the whites started the war." He snickered whispering up at her. "Not the brightest of games."

Alice dipped the spoon back into the tea, and then looked at the two queens. She was starting to get annoyed at all of this. "Can’t you just tell me what has been happening in Wonderland?" She sighed as they continued their shouting and shoving match. "Then I will take my leave and you can continue fighting as you want." She reached down and scooped up the Hatter and started to dry him with a napkin before pushing him into the pocket of her apron. She looked back at them as they grappled with each other. Teacups and checkered sugar cubes were flying everywhere including the cup she had in her hands, of course by now it was expected…. They certainly haven’t changed one bit since she was a child. "As usual they aren't very helpful." She huffed and patted the blond hair of the tea stained man and started back down the path. "Seems like we're alone in this again."


	16. You can always have more than nothing.

Alice quickly pushed the tiny sized Hatter into her apron pocket, then started to walk away from the table. After a short while, she looked down at him. The Queens may not have been able to tell them anything useful. But he knew where this thing took Simon. "I think you know much more then you’re telling me, Hatter. I thought we were friends. You shouldn't hide anything from me at this point," Alice spoke in a serious tone. After all... they did share a kiss. "Don’t you trust me anymore?" She spoke to the madman as she headed up towards a mountain pass. There wasn’t an enemy in sight, but no place was safe in Wonderland anymore it seemed. 

The Hatter sighed as his head poked out of her pocket once more. His long arms hung down over the edge. The green checkered grass under her feet soon gave way to gray rock and up ahead was a very familiar clear spring that coiled in a spiral near the center of a clearing. In its center was a stone statue that looked very similar to Alice. The statue seemed to change over the years. Once it was a playful little girl chasing butterflies, then it all it did was weep, then enraged with hands clawing at the air. Now…only a solum image of a girl sitting still, unmoving. The stone was porous, white and weathered and seemed to be falling apart as bits crumbled into the water. Was this her self-image? The path ahead branched off into three other paths. Two lead to the Queen's monstrous castle and to the Jabberwock’s lair. But those now lay in nothing but ruins. The entrances blocked by sharp brambles and the path covered in dead leaves and sticks. Only the black and white checkered path to the Pale Realm was open but it seemed strange. A dark aura hung in the sky above the once benevolent Chess Piece domain. They could see it even from this far away. Like a storm cloud that never brought forth any rain as the random flash of purple lightning rumbled overhead. 

The Hatter could feel a sense of crushing guilt overtake him as he looked down at his hands. "It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s just..." He sighed as his voice trailed off. 

Alice felt a little disappointed in her friend. He was hiding something, something terrible. She didn't know what it was and she was burning with curiosity. But there was no time to argue with the Hatter now. She wanted to find Simon and take him back to their reality. Poor Simon. How scared and confused he must have been when he found himself in this madness. Alice would need to explain a lot to him when they find him. Trying to be quick, she set her foot onto the checkered tiles of the Pale Realm. She noticed the difference in the sky, but they couldn’t turn back now. She firstly needed to turn the Hatter to his normal size. He would be no help if he stayed the way he is now.

The Hatter felt like his gears were rusting shut. He wanted to tell her. To let her know what he had done. But how could he? She would hate him... But that was what he deserved, wasn’t it? While he chose to be that creatures slave, his friends tried to fight and look what happened to them. What if the same thing happens to Alice? He would never be able to live with himself if anything happened to her. As they walked the path, ahead lay the broken bodies of both sides of the chessboard scattered about like the aftermath of a great battle. A poor rooks head rolled to a stop as they passed. With heavy black boots, Alice stepped over the poor broken chess pieces to find her way. Soon they came to the gates of the Pale Realm as she shoved them open. The gates lead to the main square as Alice and the Hatter entered. But the same thing was happening here as well. Dead and dying game pieces lay on the steps and near the big clock tower. When she looked up she could see the torrent of dark swirling clouds even closer now. There were too many questions to ask and no one was there to answer them. 

The Hatter ran a hand through the mess of blond hair and looked up at her. "..Alice...I..." He was about to speak when the ground started to quake as he held onto her apron. Alice stopped and stood still until the rumbling passed. The Hatter looked down as the white square she was standing on started to crack. Then everything around them felt as if it were melting...changing into something else. The black and white now merged into a dull gray as it all continued to change. But into what? The castle-style buildings of the Pale Realm began to twist and distort upwards as the gates behind them slammed shut. The air grew heavy as huge marble pillars complete with rose trellises had begun to emerge from the walls as the last semblance of the Chess Piece world vanished. Then everything just stopped. No noise could be heard and it made her feel very uneasy. It was then a huge set of stark white doors suddenly burst up from the ground just ahead of her making her stumble to one knee. As she stood up the view in front of her seemed familiar. 

The girl looked up in complete shock. She _knew_ this place. The Pale Realm had been transformed into some surreal image of her Aunt’s house. But why? 

As Alice looked up at the door of the very familiar estate her eyes were sparkled with madness. "The house..." She took a deep breath and walked up to it with a hypnotized expression on her face. "Why this place?" She muttered placing a hand on the door.

The Hatter peeked up over the edge of her pocket. "Alice don’t go in there!" He looked up at her. "Please let’s just go back? This isn’t like the Queen...trust me."

Alice gave him a small smile. "I know... It's not me this time." She whispered, and then patted the blond hair of the man in her pocket. "Not me." She pushed the giant doors open and stepped into the darkness. The small madman looked up at her and whined to himself. No going back now. But this time it wasn’t madness Alice was going to battle against. Or even her guilt. The Naaxia, fed on one’s own self-loathing and insecurities, their self-image as it were. Draining the very life from it and Wonderland. The beast seemed determined to make sure this world would cease to exist and in its place would be her frozen image of perfection. Perfect..and devoid of life. Alice would have to fight to keep herself intact or end up an empty dead shell. 

Alice made her way through the rooms as she weaved in and out of the doors. She had been living in this estate for so long she knew it well. But it was still Wonderland and she had an idea of where to find the right ingredients to turn the green man back to normal size. Silently she made her way to the kitchen, looking through the shelves. The jars were all filled with colorful liquids as well as a plate of small cakes. They all had a *Drink Me* or *Eat Me* tag. But she wasn't sure which would be the right solution to their little problem. Her every movement and every clink of glass made a loud noise in this deadness and something had become aware of her presence. "Which should I use?" She sighed and poked a jar filled with red liquid.

The Hatter perked up when he saw she was looking for a way to make him bigger. Sick of being this small he pointed up. “Try the cake! The cake, Alice! You never listen!” Hatter said in a harsh whisper! Just then he heard a noise behind them. Like the rasp of a comb when someone runs a thumb down the teeth..or perhaps..scales on tile? "...A...A-lice...." He shook and ducked back down inside the pocket!

Alice was busy with examining another bottle when the Hatter warned her. But was too late when she turned back and drew her Vorpal Blade. A giant claw caught her around the waist and picking her up. All she could do was take a deep breath and stare at the thing that held her. The huge reptilian body of the creature was wrapped around the mockup building like it was a giant dollhouse as it peered down at them. Alice recognized its shape from books she had read as a child. Was it... a dragon? The Naaxia chuckled between her sharp teeth as she brought Alice up to her eye level. 

"We wanted this moment to come for so long, little girl." Her coils making rasping sounds as she moved. Alice kicked the air, trying to stab the giant claw with her blade, but it didn't even leave a scratch. 

"Let go!" She shouted, but the claw around her body tightened as she gasped for breath.

The Hatter squirmed in her pocket and popped his head up. He had to do something but what?! The Dragon was immense even if he were his right size. "Alice don’t give up!" He looked down as they were held above an empty drink me bottle in the dragon’s other hand. What was the beast planning to do?

The girl gritted her teeth against the pressure and pain, still squirming in the creature's claw. She wasn't going to give up and she didn't even know who this beast was! A flash of something caught her eye as a droplet of red liquid shone just on the end of the creature’s finger. She tried to shout, but she was silenced by the sharp nail being forced into her mouth. Then... things started to grow... Or... Alice was getting small! The Hatter didn't fit her pocket anymore as the apron tore open. It was then the claw let her go and she found herself falling into an empty bottle along with the madman who was her size now. Panting harshly Alice landed on her knees and hands. Emerald eyes looked at the creature, it was laughing madly. What was it? What did it want from her and from Wonderland?

The Hatter landed next to her having torn her pocket open as she shrunk. He sat up on one knee and rubbed his head. He then quickly looked at her taking her arm. "Alice? Are you alright?" The hat maker growled up at the dragon as a huge cork stopper was abruptly stuffed into the mouth of the jar. 

When Alice finally regained her breath, she quickly yelled at the creature. "Where is Simon!?" She didn't even look at the Hatter. "What do you want from him?" 

The Naaxia just laughed in a loud booming voice. "I don't want that pathetic creature. I was waiting for you..." The dragon huffed hot breath against the bottle, making them warm and sweat with the heat. "Since your Hatter friend couldn't do anything right, I had to take it upon myself to bait you here." The beast then looked at the Hatter. Why wasn't she surprised to see him here with Alice? "Trying to play the hero after all you have done? Pathetic." It then laughed maniacally. "I should just destroy you right now but I am feeling generous. Forsake Alice and I will let you go… "

The Hatter frowned and stood up as his hands clenched into fists. He felt hatred towards the Naaxia! But it paled in comparison to the guilt he felt over what he had done to Alice and the hatred he felt for himself. He sneered up at the dragon as her breath fogged up the glass. "I no longer work for you!" He yelled up at the massive creature. "And I won't betray Alice! I didn’t do it then! And I won’t do it now! Turn me into a husk if you want. But Alice will stop you!"

Alice emerald eyes widened as she heard their conversation. Her mind resisted accepting that the Mad Hatter was working for the dragon. But it seemed as if it were so…..She looked back up at him with wet eyes, still trying to deny. "You..." She suddenly sobbed. "You tricked me." She said with a broken tone as a teardrop rolled from her eye. 

"Alice.” Hatter sighed letting his arms fall to his sides. "I wanted to tell you...but..."

The Naaxia watched the scene with a smug proud look on her face. So, this was really the girl who claimed to save Wonderland? The hero, the warrior? It was no surprise that this place was broken and so easily conquered. "You are useless, Mad Hatter. But now... it's no longer important." The Naaxia then shifted her eyes on Alice. Her prey was looking quite delicious.

The Hatter looked down at Alice with a mournful look in his eyes. He glanced away and nodded. "I...had no choice." He then kneeled next to her. "Alice please, you must believe me. She was going to destroy me...but...But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go through with her plans and stayed with you in the real world.” He took her hand in his. "Alice. Ever since you kissed me...I knew...I had to be with you. Even if it meant my own death..." 

But Alice quickly took her hand away from his, not wanting any contact with this man in any way. A great sadness of betrayal was filling inside her, teardrops were rolling one after other down her cheeks, and her dark eye make-up was falling away as dark tears. "How could you do this to me?" That was all she could say... She then began to cry as the bottle slowly started filling with her own tears. She should have known better. Mad people were never trustworthy. The Naaxia wanted Alice to suffer more before she destroyed her completely. And it seemed the Mad Hatter was finally useful in a way she never expected. Alice's death would be a slow one, literally drowning in her own sorrow. Naaxia snickered at the scene setting the bottle down on a replica of Alice’s dresser and disappeared from the sight to leave her alone with her misery... 

The Hatter sighed with a heavy heart. "..Forgive me..." He then looked down at the floor of the bottle when something splashed his shoes. "...Uh..." Her tears were filling the bottle! "Alice?" He then kneeled next to her. "Alice I’m sorry. I truly am! Please, you must believe me! Because if you don’t and keep crying like this you’re going to drown!" Another sob and even more tears began to flow from her eyes until it was well past his ankles. 

"I trusted you!" She covered her face with both hands, her tears never stopped. In fact, they were flowing even faster now; filling the bottle more and more. "You made me fall in love with you, you wretched thing!” She sobbed as she admitted the truth. Alice probably would have been embarrassed to blurt out such a thing but now everything seemed so far away and meaningless. She didn’t care anymore. It felt so one-sided now. After all, how could a clockwork madman feel anything? It was all a ruse! "You played with me like I'm a toy. And now..." The tears rose until bottle was half full. "You broke me....It was what you wanted from the beginning, wasn't it?"

The Hatter was shocked. She...loved him? A strange feeling overcame him. Something stirred deep within his chest. If he had a stomach it would be filled with butterflies right about now. He knew what he did was wrong. He knew she might never forgive him. But he also knew that they did have a bond. A strong one. Even stronger than the Naaxia herself. Hell, stronger than a hundred Naaxias. As the water rose the Hatter pulled her to her feet. "....Keep behind me..." He leaned her against the glass as the tears splashed up against his chest.

Her hands never moved away from her face even as she was pulled up to her feet. No resistance... almost boneless. She couldn't find any more reason to go on fighting. Even her friends had turned their backs on her... What was she supposed to do? The water was at her chin level now. She couldn't stop her tears... she didn't want to. No words came from her. She had nothing to say to this man. In a moment she would be under the water and her tears still came. She felt vulnerable and cheated. But then something flashed in her memory. 

_"..Forgive me..."_

Why would he ask her to forgive him if he had truly betrayed her? Did it mean anything anymore?

The Hatter stared at the glass as the water rose even faster. Whether she wanted his help or not he was getting her out of there. The large rusted gear on his back began to click backward suddenly as if winding itself up for something. He then reared back a fist as the gear spun forward again and slammed his fist into the glass! The white glove on his hand split at the seams revealing a series of wire, gears and metal strips that were his fingers. The glass cracked just a little but it needed more as water spritzed from the cracks. The oversized clock gear wound in reverse again as he pulled his arm back once more, and released ramming the glass at the same point! The force buckled some of the joints in his hand as wayward gears went flying, his sleeve exploded into shreds of fabric. The glass cracked more as water started to spray from the breaks. He pulled back as the wire that controlled the joints in his fingers snapped from the force, curling up over his wrist leaving his hand useless. He could hear Alice gasping for air now and knew he had to get her out! “Raaahh!” He sneered and hit the glass one more time as it burst sending both occupants sailing out onto the floor!

The water was splashed away, leaving Alice wet and silent on the ground. Her hands and face had begun to pale once more, she was losing her color again. Matching the emotionless state of Wonderland so perfectly. Looking up at the Hatter, she whispered with a familiar curiosity that never left her. "Why did you save me?" She wanted to believe he was still on her side, but how?

The Hatter sat up holding his arm with his back to her. The fist he used to break the glass hung at the wrist. An occasional gear or cotter pin lay at his feet. "Because.....I... I love you too..." He looked down at her over his shoulder. "I know it is hard to believe...But I do...I guess I always have." He stood up and turned to face her. What was left of his shirt slipped off exposing his upper chest. His broken arm was nothing more than rusted steam pipes that joined up with large gears at the shoulder. Half of his chest, like the poor Dormouse and March Hare, was a combination of gears, pulleys, and springs. All merged in with the natural anatomy of the rest of his chest. The green sickly flesh was pulled tight over the rusted metal. Every time he moved, the gears moved. Random puffs of steam jetted from the wounded arm at the pipe that would always protrude from his sleeve at the elbow. He looked more like a broken watch than a man in this state. "You see...? This is why I didn’t want you to see...."

Curious eyes looked carefully at the clockwork man's chest. So that was what he was hiding from her. Was he human or a clock? Or both? Did that wounded arm even hurt? She wasn't sure. Alice knew it didn't matter anymore from this point. But as she stared at him...she was finally starting to feel something warm inside. She looked down at her hands and they looked a little pinker then white. Maybe he really did make a mistake, and now he was only trying to protect her? Or was this a just another part of his mad game? Wiping the last tears from her eyes, Alice took a deep breath and looked at his face. "You look beautiful." And she gave a broken smile, which suited her mood.

The Hatter stared down at her as his yellow eyes wavered. Was she..smiling? But how? He thought he had lost her for good. But perhaps..perhaps she still had her will. He kneeled down next to her and lowered his head. "...You know. When I called myself "Atter" I felt as if I was becoming part of your world. Like you became part of mine. But I forgot to give myself a first name...." He looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

Alice closed her dark black eyes for a moment, still giving that broken smile. When she opened her eyes they sparkled with an emerald shine. She placed a hand on his cheek and stroked his skin softly. Leaning close to him, she whispered into his ear. "...Richard." Then she kissed his cheek with soft lips.

The Hatter closed his eyes and leaned in wrapping his still active arm around her. "..Richard...I like that name." He pulled her close and buried his head in her shoulder. "...Alice...." He was about to speak when something stopped his words. He seemed to be struggling as he pulled away from her grasping his neck. Something silver and gleaming and jagged were taught around his throat. A lash of what looked like...barbed wire...was wrapped tight around his neck. The line of silver, lead to someone standing far behind them in the dark. It gave a sharp yank as he was pulled right out of her arms!

Alice was wondering if she could relax in his arms even in this awkward timing, but then... Her Richard was taken away from her suddenly! With wide open eyes, she tried to reach for him, but it was too late. "Richard!" She gasped, knowing it was time to stand up on her feet once more as her vorpal appeared in her hand! She couldn't let anything bad happen to him…not now.


End file.
